The Norwegian musician and bestselling author Ketil Bjørnstad has set himself a grand goal with his new project: each decade of his life will be dedicated to a novel. He begins with the 1960s, presenting events from the perspective of young Ketil, who always thinks a bit differently than his contemporaries: he admires Khrushchev, while he views Kennedy as a slimy figure. The Soviet cosmonauts serve as his role models rather than the astronauts from the USA. His politically active father and musically inclined mother shape his life during these years, even though it slowly becomes apparent that a musical genius is emerging. For even within the family, passive resistance is initially Ketil's survival strategy. When he is made to sit at the piano, he ensures that it sounds terrible. Yet, by the end of the 1960s, he has his first performances.