This novel delves into the lives of a middle-aged couple living in Brooklyn, New York, during the late 1960s. The narrative explores the complexities of their marriage, personal dissatisfaction, and the broader social changes affecting their world. The story is set into motion when the wife is bitten by a stray cat, an incident that becomes a metaphor for the couple's unraveling lives and the pervasive sense of crisis and decay in their urban environment. Through sharp, incisive prose, the book examines themes of alienation, the search for meaning in a changing world, and the fragile nature of human relationships against the backdrop of societal upheaval.

The 4904th greatest book of all time