Wind Song: the story of James East

Wind Song opens in 1860s England, with the difficult birth of James East. They call for Mrs. Linder, a local lady who acts as midwife, who does what she can for mother and child.
James grows, and though small of stature, he is strong of mind and proves to be very intelligent. He gains an apprenticeship at a railway workshop and begins to establish his mechanical worth.
An unfortunate circumstance forces him to travel to America, to start a new life. Heading west, he gains work on the railroads, where he befriends the Chinese workers. He learns of their culture and values, which leads him to being appalled at the way they are treated by the work-gang boss and fellow workers. This pushes him to move on, travelling further west, he finds himself amid the post-civil war wild west.