A writer travels to Athens in the height of summer to teach a writing course. While her own circumstances remain shrouded in mystery for now, she becomes a listener to a series of life stories and confessions. Starting with the seat neighbor on the flight, who shares tales of speedboats and failed marriages, her acquaintances reveal their fears, desires, regrets, and favorite theories. In the stifling heat and noise of the city, these various voices create a complex tableau of human life. Meanwhile, the outline of a woman—the writer—begins to emerge, as she starts to learn how to confront a profound loss. Outline is a daring yet elegant novel about love, loss, memory, and the fundamental urge to tell stories about others and oneself.