Seymour Levovm, a pre-baby boomer, appears to be the embodiment of the American Dream: Rich parents, a successful sportsman, entrepreneur, family father. His family’s Jewish background is symbolically neutralised through his marriage of a Catholic Miss New Jersey and, again, through his purchase of an old stonehouse in the original settlers’ country.

But, all that's well does not necessarily stay well - Seymour's daughter first develops a stutter, later rebellious leftist convictions that shock the liberal Democratic family and, finally, she  turns terrorist, killing one true and harmless American with a bomb aimed at the local post agency. What follows is a rapid decline of his family life: daughter lost and hiding from the police, wife develops a psychological condition, his business is threatened by the general decline of work ethics, craftmanship and general social conditions in Newark. This all leads up to a dramatic final dinner party at which all the American values Seymour seemed to have bought into come tumbling sown on him - with him patiently and politely sitting by and keeping up appearances.

The novel is not an easy read: it is not much more than a long road paved with misery leading to climactical disaster. It exemplifies and symbolises the deterioration of traditional American values and leaves the reader hopeless, but intrigued.