Paul Scudery, a young American, travels to London to study in 1956. He takes a philosophy course with the famed philosopher, A. J. Ayer, and meets him for a cup of coffee to discuss a lecture...but did this meeting actually take place ? When the Hungarian Revolution begins, he participates in an assault on the Russian Embassy and the Daily Worker, and even hitchhikes to Vienna to see refugees who have fled Hungary. When he returns, he finds questions about his activities, people who dispute that he undertook them. The American Embassy asks Paul to spy on several Communists...later a spokesman denies this happened. Several similar incidents cause Paul to wonder whether he is sane. The novel follows Paul as he seeks to uncover the truth of his experience.