Whether on the fringes of society or in its affluent circles, whether among socially excluded children or disadvantaged academics – Christoph Hein skillfully paints a panorama of the present, where deception and lies permeate even the most intimate relationships. Rüdiger Stolzenburg, 59 years old, has been a part-time lecturer at a cultural studies institute for 15 years. His chances for advancement are close to zero: the self-imposed standards for university teaching are unsustainable, and his research projects yield no tangible results. With his salary, Stolzenburg barely manages to get by. However, his already precarious life is at risk of spiraling completely out of control, as not only is the tax office dangerously closing in on him with a tax demand. Rüdiger Stolzenburg becomes an unwilling participant.