It is written in a light, often comic, tone, but resonates on many deeper issues, including loneliness, family, religious visions and multiple sclerosis.

From this experience, she becomes pregnant with Jeremy, who is put up for adoption, and goes in and out of foster families for much of his young life.

Jeremy arrives back into Liz’s life when she is at a low point of loneliness.

Liz’s son Jeremy, who was sent out for adoption, has a terminal case of multiple sclerosis.

He has traveled through the foster-care system of British Columbia, residing with many families who abused him.

Jeremy is cheerful in the face of his condition, happy with the life that he has left to lead.

He envisions a future where crops have gone foul and farmers ask a divine voice for guidance.

Coupland suffered through a period in his early twenties he describes as being caused by loneliness.

[2] "If they told us in school that there was this weird thing you were going to experience the moment you turn 20, that would have been a great service.

I think because it is lumped in with depression and other medical conditions, people want to say, ‘Oh, just take your Paxil and come back when you’re feeling better.’ But it’s not like that."