The novel is a first-person narrative, a monologue by a young Jewish man, Alexander Portnoy, who is speaking to his psychoanalyst. He shares his struggles with his identity as a Jewish man in America, his sexual fantasies and frustrations, his complex relationship with his overbearing mother, and his experiences of guilt and shame. The book uses humor and frank language to explore themes of identity, sexuality, and the Jewish experience in America.

The novel revolves around the lives of the Lambert family, an old-fashioned midwestern couple and their three adult children. The parents, Alfred and Enid, are dealing with Alfred's Parkinson's disease and their own marital problems, while their children are each facing their own personal and professional crises. The narrative explores the themes of family dynamics, societal expectations, and the struggles of modern life. The story climaxes with the family's last Christmas together at their childhood home.

This novel follows the life of a successful Wall Street bond trader who, after a wrong turn in the Bronx, finds his life spiraling out of control. After a hit-and-run accident in a predominantly black neighborhood, he becomes the target of a political witch hunt, exacerbating racial tensions in the city. As the protagonist's world unravels, the story provides a satirical commentary on 1980s New York City, exploring themes of racism, classism, politics, and greed.

The book follows the lives of two Jewish cousins, one a skilled escape artist and the other a talented artist, before, during, and after World War II. They create a popular comic book superhero, which brings them fame and fortune. However, their success is complicated by personal struggles, including the escape artist's attempts to rescue his family from Nazi-occupied Prague and the artist's struggle with his sexuality. The narrative explores themes of escapism, identity, and the golden age of comic books.

"Money" is a darkly humorous novel that follows the life of John Self, a hedonistic, self-destructive director of commercials, as he navigates the excesses and depravities of 1980s New York and London. His life is filled with overindulgence in food, alcohol, drugs, and women, leading to a downward spiral of self-destruction. The novel is a satire on the excesses of capitalism and the obsession with wealth and materialism, and it also explores themes of identity, self-loathing, and the destructive power of addiction.

"Blood and Guts in High School" is a postmodern feminist novel that follows the life of a young girl named Janey Smith, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after being sexually exploited by her father. The narrative, fragmented and nonlinear, explores themes of sexual liberation, identity, and rebellion against societal norms. The protagonist's experiences are depicted through various forms of writing such as dream sequences, drawings, and plagiarized texts, blurring the line between reality and fiction.

"Bad News" is the second novel in a series that follows the life of Patrick Melrose, a man from a wealthy but deeply troubled family. In this installment, Patrick, now 22, must travel to New York to collect his father's ashes. As he navigates the city, he struggles with his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and grapples with the traumatic memories of his abusive father. The narrative provides a darkly comic and deeply poignant exploration of addiction, trauma, and the struggle for redemption.

"Mao II" is a novel that explores the life of a reclusive novelist who hasn't been seen in public for many years. The protagonist is drawn out of his seclusion when he becomes involved in an international crisis involving a hostage situation in Beirut. The book delves into themes of terrorism, mass culture, and the power of the written word, while examining the relationship between the individual artist and the collective society.

The novel follows the life of a young, beautiful, and wealthy woman living in New York City who decides to enter a year of drug-induced sleep to escape her disillusionment with life and the world around her. Encouraged by her eccentric, unethical psychiatrist, she spends most of her time sleeping, waking only to eat, watch movies, and occasionally socialize with her best friend. The book explores themes of depression, alienation, and the search for meaning in a modern, materialistic society.

The novel explores the complex and often absurd world of American law and litigation. The protagonist is a retired law professor who is embroiled in multiple lawsuits, including one against himself. The narrative is filled with legal documents, depositions, and court transcripts, which serve to critique the convoluted and often nonsensical nature of the legal system. The book also satirizes the American obsession with wealth and property, and the lengths people will go to protect their own interests.

The novel follows the story of a young aspiring playwright who moves to New York City with dreams of making it on Broadway. He becomes the protégé of an eccentric older gentleman, a self-styled "extra man" who escorts wealthy widows in the Upper East Side's high society. As the protagonist navigates his new life, he is drawn into a world of old-world manners, transgender escapades, and odd human connections, all while grappling with his own identity and aspirations. The narrative is a comedic and poignant exploration of loneliness, friendship, and the quest for personal authenticity in a city that often feels overwhelming and surreal.

The novel centers around the life of a seemingly ordinary mail carrier in a small American town, whose mundane existence belies a complex inner world filled with secrets, fantasies, and obsessions. As the protagonist navigates his daily routine, delivering letters and packages to the townspeople, he becomes increasingly entangled in their lives and personal affairs. His voyeuristic tendencies and the discovery of a mysterious undeliverable letter lead to a series of events that unravel his carefully constructed facade, exposing the dark undercurrents of suburban life and the fragile nature of personal identity.

The novel centers on a young Indian computer programmer whose dreams of a new life in the United States are derailed by a series of unfortunate events. Desperate to avoid deportation after losing his job, he unleashes a mischievous computer virus in a bid to regain his employer's attention, but the plan spirals out of control. The virus rapidly spreads across the globe, causing widespread chaos and inadvertently linking the fates of an eclectic mix of characters, from Bollywood actresses to ambitious Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. The story is a satirical exploration of the complexities of globalization, the illusions of the American dream, and the unpredictable ways in which technology can disrupt the world.

The novel follows the life of a 39-year-old single, childfree woman living in New York City who is dealing with the societal pressures and expectations of adulthood. Her journey is marked by her struggle to find happiness and fulfillment in her own terms, despite her unconventional lifestyle. The protagonist grapples with her relationships, career, and the looming presence of her family's tragedies, all while trying to understand what it truly means to be "all grown up".

"The Epicure's Lament" is a darkly humorous story about a misanthropic, chain-smoking gourmand living in self-imposed exile in his ancestral home. Struggling with a terminal illness, the protagonist uses his time to write a cookbook that includes ruminations on life and love. However, his solitude is interrupted by the arrival of his brother and his family, forcing him to grapple with his past and his relationships.

The novel follows a failing writer about to turn 50, who receives an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. In order to avoid the event, he decides to accept every literary invitation he's been given and embarks on an around-the-world journey. As he travels from Paris to India, Berlin to Japan, he finds himself facing the big questions about love, aging, and how to live a life that matters.

The novel revolves around the interconnected lives of an eclectic cast of characters, all linked by a lackluster children's musical based on a beloved fictional character, Mister Monkey. Through a series of vignettes, the narrative explores the personal dramas, comedic mishaps, and poignant reflections of the play's actors, the audience members, and even the author of the book on which the play is based. The story delves into themes of art, reality, the impact of small actions, and the human search for meaning, all the while painting a satirical yet sympathetic portrait of the theater world and the varied individuals who find their lives touched by this seemingly trivial production.