New York editor Philip Carver goes home to provincial Memphis. The widowed father wants to remarry, and Philip's sisters ask for help to stop the marriage. Returning to Memphis forces the hero to plunge into memories: the move, which had a hard impact on family members, the dominance of his father and mutual misunderstanding. The family story unfolds before Philip’s eyes, acquires dramatic details and opens up from a new side. The action takes place against the backdrop of the American South, whose morals are conveyed with knowledge, irony and love. Peter Taylor is a classic of American literature. He has received the PEN/Faulkner Award, the American Academy Medal, and the O. Henry Award for his work. Published in Russian for the first time.