Pickled Herring and a Trip to Mars is a story of Nils and Linnea Vensberg, Swedish immigrants who met on the ship that carried them to the unknown - Nils with $15 in his pocket and his violin: Linnea with $10 in her purse and a homesick sister. Their fearless journey is a window in the joys and struggles of early 20th century immigrants in the US as they made their way into American life. Some 30 million immigrants entered the US between 1880 and 1910. The book remains relevant today as a contrast to the current immigration situation in the US. Researched and written by two of their grand children, the book is based on events and stories recollected by their daughters Sigrid, Asta and Iga plus a liberal sprinkling of fictitious characters who were created to fill in some of the blanks and provide continuity.