Goodbye, Columbus is a coming of age story, a summer romance between a poor boy and a wealthy girl. It features Neil Klugman, a poor young man from Newark living with his aunt, and Brenda Patimkin, a classy, self-assured, rich girl. Neil shows a rare spark of confidence when he calls Brenda for a date after first meeting her at a swimming pool, when she accepts and they meet, he finds that he really doesn't know what to do from there. But, they bumble through the beginnings of a relationship, mutually attracted physically, diametrically opposed socially.

Roth is an award-winning author with a reputation as a writer of explosive wit, merciless insight, and a fierce compassion for even the most self-deluding of his characters.