Robert Merriman, a native of Santa Cruz, studied economics at the University of Nevada, Reno. A professor there influenced his decision to pursue a PhD at UC Berkeley, where he later became an Antifascist. Growing up in Santa Cruz shaped his views on economics, and at UC Berkeley, he taught and studied economics, influenced by many professors. During the Great Depression, the Berkeley community worked to address economic inequality, transforming Merriman into a student committed to social justice and anti-fascism. He participated in labor rights and anti-fascist groups. The book covers the events at UC Berkeley and in the Bay Area during that time, as well as Merriman's later role in helping establish the Abraham Lincoln Battalion during the Spanish Civil War and the post-war activities of Berkeley-connected Abraham Lincoln Battalion veterans involved in social justice movements.