The book centers on Stu Potts, working for Dov Grey, captain of industry, creating ***s out of raws.

Dov and Jomm share their hostility to the popular Hinkle-Winkle, who is "the eternal embodiment of goodish news,"[* 4] and a "freeloading ... world-class houseguest.

"[* 5] In contrast, their wives are sympathetic to Hinkle-Winkle and his associates, "a band of brotherly strugglers all, unhierarchizable sodality of free souls.

The next day, Dov dictates to Redmount, now his private secretary, while they make love, witnessed by Stu and Jomm over a glass partition.

Sarah Lyall in The New York Times writes ahead of publication that Brodsky's decision to entitle the novel *** "does present its own difficulties".