The Sayles might not have been the only Jewish atheist communist family in Liverpool but Alexei knew from an early age that they were one of the more eccentric. Born on the day egg rationing came to an end Alexei was the only child of Joe an affable trade unionist who led the family on railway expeditions across eastern Europe & Molly a hot-tempered red-head who terrified teachers & insisted Alexei see the Red Army Choir instead of the Beatles. Perceptive & hilarious this is a portrait of a family a city a country & a continent going through enormous changes.