Roy, a psychotherapist, and his first wife, Bea, a caterer, are the characters around which this hilarious and unpredictable novel revolves. The other players include their four children, their assorted friends and lovers, as well as Roy's subsequent two wives, one of whom he steals from a patient. Not to mention Bea's lover--the Russian imigri superintendent--her lesbian artist sister, and her caustic mother, the landlady of the chaotic building. Throughout the novel, Bea and Roy struggle to redefine the idea of family without giving up the fantasy of endless self-gratification. Entanglements, betrayals, couplings, and uncouplings abound, as each person seeks love and happiness in the free-for-all '90s.
Roy, a psychotherapist, and his first wife, Bea, a caterer, are the characters around which this hilarious and unpredictable novel revolves. The other players include their four children, their assorted friends and lovers, as well as Roy's subsequent two wives, one of whom he steals from a patient. Not to mention Bea's lover--the Russian imigri superintendent--her lesbian artist sister, and her caustic mother, the landlady of the chaotic building. Throughout the novel, Bea and Roy struggle to redefine the idea of family without giving up the fantasy of endless self-gratification. Entanglements, betrayals, couplings, and uncouplings abound, as each person seeks love and happiness in the free-for-all '90s.