A chaotic social gathering in a condemned London loft takes a surreal turn when the guests begin hurling possessions from the roof just as the world learns of the September 11 attacks. Ken Nott, a cynical radio shock jock, finds his hedonistic lifestyle and professional detachment challenged by the sudden intrusion of global catastrophe into his insular, crumbling environment. The narrative, delivered through Nott's acerbic and often self-serving perspective, tracks the friction between his personal nihilism and the gravity of the unfolding historical event. As the party descends into absurdity, the protagonist must navigate the dissonance between his trivial grievances and the reality of a world irrevocably altered by the morning's news.

This work is often analyzed for its provocative attempt to capture the immediate, disorienting aftermath of the 9/11 attacks through the lens of a deeply flawed and unlikeable protagonist. The narrative style suggests a deliberate effort to mirror the frantic, often incoherent nature of media-saturated life in the early twenty-first century. Readers and critics frequently note the tension between the book's dark, comedic tone and the somber historical backdrop, which serves to highlight the protagonist's profound detachment. The text functions as a critique of the modern media landscape, suggesting that the constant noise of contemporary life often obscures the capacity for genuine human connection or moral clarity.