The book follows the story of a man named Howard Elman who is struggling to make ends meet in a small town in New Hampshire. After his wife leaves him and he loses his job, Howard is forced to confront the harsh realities of his life. As he grapples with poverty, isolation, and his own personal demons, Howard must also contend with the changing landscape of his town as it is overtaken by urban development. The novel paints a vivid picture of rural life and the struggles of the working class, touching on themes of resilience, survival, and the human condition.

This memoir offers a nostalgic look at rural New England life, focusing on the author's annual summer visits to his grandparents' farm in New Hampshire during the 1940s. Through a series of vividly recounted episodes, the book captures the timeless rhythms of farming life and the deep, generational connections to the land. The narrative is imbued with affectionate portraits of family members and local characters, and the author reflects on the profound, simple joys and the inevitable changes that modernity brings to traditional ways of life.