In 1969, twenty-year-old Reva Nelson sets off to backpack across Europe-alone. A spirited thinker and poet, Nelson wants to move beyond past betrayals, stretch her wings, and see the world.

With only the contents of her pack to equip her for the journey, Nelson leaves behind all that is familiar and comfortable to explore the European continent and discover what the last year of the turbulent decade holds.

Nelson supports her travels by picking up odd jobs, including harvesting grapes from the vineyards of Bordeaux and oranges from the citrus groves in Israel. And in an era of free...