Alexander Perchov Timeline & Summary

Alex is told by his father, who works for Heritage Touring, that he has to pick up a dude named Jonathan Safran Foer at the train station in Lutsk. Daaaaaad, we can practically hear Alex say.
He goes with Grandfather to retrieve the tourist, who wants to find the village his grandfather grew up in, and a woman named Augustine.
After staying at a hotel—and being appalled that Jonathan is a vegetarian—they head into the countryside to find the village of Trachimbrod.
But first, they find a woman who claims to be but isn't actually Augustine. Phooey.
She gives them a box full of objects from Trachimbrod, which was destroyed during World War II.
One of the items is a photo of Alex's Grandfather, which prompts him to reveal his dark past.
After the journey Alex writes to Jonathan, as Alex reads Jonathan's book about his trip. They talk about both the book and Alex's life.
Alex wishes Jonathan would change things in the book, so that his great-great-great-great-great-grandmother (lots of greats) Brod is happy, or that Safran tells the Gypsy girl he loves her.
But Jonathan doesn't change these things, and eventually he and Alex stop talking.
Instead of using his savings to go to America, Alex gives them to his abusive dad and kicks the guy out of the house.
Finally, Alex tells Jonathan that his Grandfather died. He killed himself in the bathtub.
Guess Alex is the head of the family now!