pbFrom a nickel to an empire, the extraordinary rise of one man, a nation and America's favorite snack.b p Before the gut-busting eating contests and franchise stores across the country, there was a single man, Nathan Handwerker. An Eastern European Jewish immigrant who left the small provincial world he knew for a fresh start in America, Nathan arrived at Ellis Island speaking not a word of English, unable to read or write, and with twenty-five dollars hidden in his shoes. He had a simple goal work hard and carve out a piece of the American dream. But history had bigger plans for Nathan. pBeginning in 1916, with just five feet of counter space on Coney Island's Surf Avenue, Nathan sells his frankfurters for five cents. As New York booms, bringing trains and patrons to the seashore, so too does Nathan's humble frankfurter stand. Soon Nathan's Famous takes over the whole block, and Nathan gathers around him a dedicated core of workers many who stay for decades who help launch the hot do