Facing the sudden decline of his sexual drive, an aging Oxford don embarks on a series of clinical and social encounters to reclaim his former vitality. Jacques 'Jake' Richardson, a sixty-year-old academic, finds himself increasingly alienated by the shifting social mores of the late 1970s. His objective is to diagnose and reverse his waning libido, leading him to consult various medical professionals and engage with the changing sexual landscape of his peers. The narrative follows a third-person perspective that maintains a detached, observational distance from Jake's internal anxieties and external failures. The world is defined by the rigid, intellectual atmosphere of Oxford contrasted against the chaotic, permissive culture of the era.

Readers and critics often describe the work as a biting, cynical look at the anxieties of aging within a rapidly changing social environment. Discussion frequently centers on the protagonist's unlikable nature and how his perspective serves as a vehicle for the author's broader social commentary. Many highlight the balance between the book's comedic elements and its underlying melancholy regarding the loss of vitality. The pacing is noted for being deliberate, focusing more on character study and dialogue than on traditional plot progression. Readers interested in mid-century British satire often find this work a significant, if polarizing, entry in the author's bibliography.