Summary

The novel is narrated by Nathan Glass, a man in his sixties. Nathan was diagnosed with lung cancer, and although the cancer is in remission, he knows that it may return. Nathan is recently divorced, as his cancer had put even more strain on his already strained marriage. Thus, Nathan decides to move from Westchester County to Brooklyn, New York, where he had once lived as a child. Nathan is a retired insurance salesman, and he has a daughter named Rachel who is a successful biomedical researcher for a large pharmaceutical company. In Brooklyn, Nathan becomes a regular at the Cosmic Diner, but he does not have much to fill his days. Rachel suggests that he begin a long-term project, and he is inspired one day to begin recording every embarrassing event he can think of, involving either himself or others. He decides to...