This novel of linked stories follows two unforgettable characters from childhood through adolescence into adulthood with a provocative look at love, sex, and religion. Set in a blue collar neighborhood of Baltimore during the 1960's and 70's, it unfolds cinematically with short chapters told from several points of view. Both tender and humorous, blasphemous and profound, it shows how two young people attempt to wrench meaning from adversity and find happiness together despite their differences.