Londoner Ignatius Fumbo is a nutter on the dole who dreams of rock stardom. He cracks up and lands in a mental asylum where he meets brilliant, burnt-out drummer Bedford Van. Fumbo's life swivels to the beat when they form a band and take on the world. Confused by the band's birth pains, Fumbo flees his mates in order to sort things out. His walkabout through a future England acquaints our hero with a series of subcultures festering in a troubled society. 2048: A Diary is written in the form of daily entries as Fumbo adventures through a remarkable year. This novel features a world-class rock star who never shows her face, a trans-Atlantic dirigible ride, a monkey who likes a pint, underwater rock and roll, mental therapy through graphics, unrequited love, requited love, little people who intend to inherit the earth, a Cuban fast food chain bigger than McDonald's, and a religion based on television.