not sure what book 1 was about but I didn't read it before book 2 and found it was fine. However you will need to read this one before reading book 3 when it comes out.
Patryk is in his 90's and his granddaughter and great grandson have come to take him from his home to an assisted living facility. He doesn't want to go so hides in the attic hoping they won't find him. However they do and take him downstairs to the kitchen while he is holding a scrapbook put together by HIS grandmother, which tells the story of their family and life in Donora Pennsylvania. If they won't take him to the facility until the next day he promises to tell them the story of their family, dating back to the early 1900's....how they came from Poland and how they are connected to Stan Musial, the baseball player.
An easy read and a very good story.
also interesting to get the history of the mill towns at that time - sacrifices families made, and the damage to health that came with it.