Anders Hill - nearing his early 60s and seemingly ensconced in the 'land of steady habits, ' a nickname for the affluent, morally strict hamlets of Connecticut that dot the commuter rail line - abandons his career and family for a new condo, and a new life. Stripped of the comforts of his previous identity, he turns up at a holiday party full of his ex-wife's friends and is surprised to find that the very world he rejected may be one he needs. Thus Anders embarks on a clumsy, hilarious, and heartbreaking journey to reconcile his past with his present. Like the early work of John Updike, Ted Thompson's debut finely observes a man deep in conflict with his community.