The author achieved the highest academic degree after overcoming hunger, homelessness, and hopelessness. He has known failure and success, rags and riches. Dr. Koubourlis completed his graduate and post-graduate education in the United States; he was a professor at several major US universities and rapidly rose to tenured full professor. He has spent considerable time in several countries and is fluent in several languages. His exposure to different languages and cultures is reflected here. Although he has been writing all his life, this collection of short stories is the author’s first non-academic effort to see the light of publication.