For generations, the Walkers have lived on the island in a small, working class mill town beside Ontario's Attawan River. In the summer of 1965 their peace is shattered when a union organiser comes to town and Alf Walker is forced to choose between loyalty to his friends and advancement up the company ranks. His decision threatens to overwhelm not only his own life, but also his family. Through the course of the book, we come to know the Walkers intimately.