Kristen Hartman is the third born of Maxine's only daughter Joanne and the middle of her five, favorite grandchildren. She has been the caretaker and chronicler of Maxine Dagen's stories for years-a joy and responsibility that was accelerated when the family realized their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother was failing.

Short pieces about her grandma have appeared on Kristen's blog, lookingthroughme.com, and thereby have endeared her beloved grandma even to people who never met her.

This is not only the story of a life well-lived, but of the granddaughter who finds her roots...