The novel tells the story of four main characters: Rose Markowitz (the matriarch), her sons Ed and Henry, and her daughter-in-law Sarah.

Through these characters, the reader meets many other members of the family including Ed's four children, Henry's wife, and Rose's stepdaughter.

When he becomes fed-up with the California gay scene, Henry moves to Oxford, England, to manage a Laura Ashley shop, collect antiques, and embrace a traditional European lifestyle.

This outlook brings him into conflict with his eldest daughter Miriam, who, as a young medical student, embraces traditional Jewish observance.

Most of Ed's stories revolve around his internal conflicts regarding religion, notably his clear disdain for the conference to which he is invited, where rather than present academic papers, the participants discuss their feelings.