Summary

Jonathan and Jane moved from New York City to Topeka to complete their postdoctoral fellowships at an academic institution referred to in the novel only as the Foundation. They had originally planned to move back to New York City after completing their fellowships. However, they grew to like Topeka, and they befriended Eric and Sima, a married couple originally from Berkeley, California. Eric and Sima were also psychotherapists. Jonathan and Jane settled permanently in Topeka and became permanent employees of the Foundation. Jonathan took on several patients, but his interest in film compelled him to create a Film and Video Department within the Foundation. The goal of the department was to study the use of film and video in psychotherapy; he found that these tools were useful for helping certain patients. Jonathan began collaborating with an older colleague named Klaus. Jonathan and Klaus are...