The novel is the story of Archie Ferguson told at four different times, and in four different versions. Each of the seven chapters in the book is divided into four parts (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1... etc) which represent the different versions of his life. Ferguson (as he's known in the book) grows up with the same Jewish, middle class parents, Stanley and Rose, as well as many of the same friends, including Amy Schneiderman, his girlfriend/friend. However, the relationships change with each Ferguson version. Due to the individual circumstances, his lives take very different paths. The story follows his home life as well as college years, his love life and political ideas. Depending on the version of his life, Ferguson experiences various identity issues. The story is set in Newark, New Jersey, New York City, Paris and London in the 1950s and 1960s. As Archie grows through young adulthood, events such as the Vietnam war, Civil Rights, the Kennedy election and assassination, and white flight from Newark are covered.