The story is about a young Jewish girl in the ghetto neighborhood of (new york?). She is the youngest of four girls and is constantly told that she is no help. The eldest girl works all the time and takes no time for herself. The two middle girls are very different from each other. One is interested only in her looks; the other in her books. Sarah is the youngest and the protagonist of the story.
             Sarah has to watch as her sisters are sold to the highest bidders as brides. She sees them all go to unhappy weddings and determines that her life will not be like their's. Her father--who is an overbearing asshole for most of the book--wants her to marry just like her sisters did, but Sarah wants to learn and become a teacher.
             Sarah does eventually become a teacher, but after many hardships. The title of the book suggests the father figure in many households, the person providing for the family. But, Reb Smolinsky (Sarah's father) is not the bread giver, he is the bread taker. He cares little for his daughters and takes everything that he can get from them.
             That is as much as I can write now, but trust me, the book is very good and there are many parts of it that I have left out that are important to the themes of the book. Give it a shot, I beleive you will like it.
             Well, good luck and I hope this helps!!!
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