Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

By 1983 at fifty-one, Reynolds Price was successful and healthy. He was a very accomplished writer and playwright and long-tenured English professor at Duke University. He lived alone, by choice, in an idyllic setting near a pond, surrounded by woods and wildlife. Up to that time, Price had relatively few physical problems in his life. Recently, he had to deal with a torn ligament in his knee, a waning of sexual desire and far-sightedness—all of which he attributed to the aging process. He'd never been an athlete. As a child, he was always happy when gym was over and never participated in much team play. As an adult, he tried jogging for a short while but soon realized it wasn't for him.

In early 1984, Price experienced a few unusual physical changes. Just one drink of gin and tonic made him...