In the fictional town of Middleland City lives Dwayne Hoover—the owner of a large showroom selling Pontiac cars. Even though he is one of the most famous and successful people in the city, his personal life is far from smooth. His beloved wife committed suicide, and his only son is a homosexual who plays the piano in the city’s night bars and clubs. Even Dwayne himself isn’t doing well: he is slowly, but surely going insane.
In September, a festival of the arts is supposed to take place in the city. The invited guest is science-fiction writer Kilgore Trout, who lives in poverty, publishes in pornographic magazines, and has no idea that one of the most influential people in Middleland City is his enthusiastic fan. The meeting between Hoover and Trout will change the lives of both men and turn them upside down—by one hundred and eighty degrees.