Time Out of Joint: the Fate of a Family starts out in Hamburg, Germany in 1924. The title is taken from a phrase uttered by Hamlet in Shakespeare's play of that name, in which the main character expresses his desperation at his inability to contend with fate. Initially, the van Dornbach family's comfortable way of life seems to be assured by Robert's successful tobacco business. While the parents are content to adhere to the ancient religious traditions,...