Barbara Stock grew up in the tightly knit enclave of Squirrel Hill, a primarily Jewish section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hearing stories of her parents' childhoods. As an adult, she discovered that her mother knew even more stories, long kept secret. Through hours of conversations with her mother as well as library research, she learned the details that form this book.
After leaving Pittsburgh, Stock earned her Ph.D. in psychology and education from the University of Michigan. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Illinois Psychological Association and Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. She has lived and worked across the United States and in England. She is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Evanston, Il. Stock has enjoyed writing from as far back as she can remember. In writing this book, Stock combined her love of writing with her fascination with her own family story.