The novel centers around a woman named Maria Wyeth, a former model and actress, who is drifting through life in the 1960s Hollywood scene. As she struggles with a failing marriage, a difficult relationship with her daughter, and a career that's spiraling downwards, she grapples with existential despair. Told in a series of fragmented narratives, the story reveals Maria's mental breakdown, her self-destructive behavior, and her desperate attempts to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.

"The Sheltering Sky" is a novel about an American couple, Port and Kit Moresby, who travel to the North African desert accompanied by their friend Tunner. The journey, initially an attempt to cure their marital woes, quickly descends into a harrowing journey of self-discovery and exploration of the human condition. As they move further into the desert, the harsh environment and their isolation from the outside world push them to their psychological limits, leading to devastating consequences.

This novel revolves around an advice columnist, who writes under the pseudonym "Miss Lonelyhearts", for a New York newspaper during the Great Depression. As he reads and responds to the desperate letters from the city's distressed and downtrodden, he becomes increasingly disillusioned and depressed, struggling with his own faith, identity, and the bleakness of the human condition. The protagonist's personal life also spirals out of control, entangling him in a series of complicated romantic relationships and leading to a tragic conclusion.

Set in Chicago during World War II, the novel follows the life of a young man waiting to be drafted into the army. As he waits, he grapples with his feelings of isolation, frustration, and anxiety, which are exacerbated by his joblessness and the uncertainty of his future. His diary entries reveal his philosophical reflections on life, his struggles in his relationships, and his increasing mental instability as he feels more and more trapped by his circumstances.