Learning he has less than a year to live, Adam (aka the Kid) enlists writer friend Noah to accompany him on a farewell tour of the States. As they motor along, Noah—the story’s narrator—works on a novelistic tribute to his pal, incorporating stories from Adam’s adventurous, well-traveled past. Despite his illness, the Kid is full of life, energizing the journey with inventive games and wide-ranging discussions on art and literature, movies and music, sports and science, American history and ancient myth. Noah adds his own unique touch, bolstering his narration with wild and wooly wordplay—alliteration being his particular predilection.