This collection of short stories provides an intimate look into the lives of individuals living in the American suburbs during the mid-20th century. The narratives often center around themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of the American dream, painting a vivid picture of the human condition. The characters are typically middle-class individuals dealing with personal crises, existential dread, and the often harsh realities of everyday life. The stories are renowned for their ability to capture the essence of post-war America, with all of its beauty, despair, and complexity.

This narrative plunges into the life of a suburban man who decides to journey back to his home by swimming through all the pools in his neighborhood, a quest that at first appears whimsical and light-hearted. However, as he encounters various neighbors and confronts their reactions to him, the story gradually reveals the protagonist's deep personal losses and the disintegration of his life, both socially and financially. The journey becomes a poignant exploration of the passage of time, the unreliability of memory, and the disillusionment with the American Dream, ultimately leaving the protagonist—and the reader—with a profound sense of disorientation and existential despair.