The Reed family saga begins and ends in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but ranges all over the world. Their legacy grows with each generation, especially bold ship's captain Roderick and intrepid aviatrix Cynthia. This family and their friends struggle with each other just as powerfully with building a business from scratch, with economic disaster, with enemies in both World Wars, and with spies and gangsters. But not one of them accepts anything less than the prizes of love and liberty.