Nadan Jafferzadah’s notebook is found by a private investigator, Hassan Kerbali. Kerbali found the notebook in Deleware and sent it to Jafferzadah’s family in Iran. Kerbali is the private investigator hired to find Jafferzadah by the Jafferzadah family.

Nadan wrote on his first day in America about his arrival to the country via a ship. He describes the yellowing waters of America’s coast to Mr. Tallman and Golam Gassem. That night he dreams about moldy bread.

On his second day, Nadan writes about his room in Washington D.C., which is in ruins. He describes strangers who mob the streets like an army. He also describes Americans as having genetic damage and comments on their mishappen bodies. He wants to go out and the hotel manager tells him to bring security; Nadan carries a gun. Nadan writes that his girlfriend in Iran should never read this and explains he was drugged on the ship. He describes America’s reputation for drugs. He then goes to the White House and Smithsonian where he sees a machine and a beggar tells him that “Someday we will be great again.” Nadan goes to the theater that night and the curator from the Smithsonian sits by him. They comment on the female actress, Ardis. Nadan buys him marzipan eggs but the curator does not like them. The curator tells Nadan about the machine in the museum which imitates handwriting and another which has psychological effects. Nadan describes the dead civilization of the western shore and cleanses his notebook so his girlfriend can’t read it later. Nadan buys hallucinatory drugs after taking the curator home. He soaks the marzipan eggs from earlier in the evening in the drug and vows to eat them. He can’t sleep and thinks of the actress in the play.

The next day he goes sightseeing and is attacked by dogs and beggars. He presumably fights them off. He returns to the theatre to see the actress. He leaves and tries to go to a Dahl house. He is attacked again. Nadan then describes the famine and cannibalism which occured in America within the last century.

Over the next day, Nadan becomes acquainted with Kreton, an actor at the theater. Kreton tells him about a secret beneath Mt. Rushmore. Nadan reveals that he is a pupil of Akhon Mirza Ahmak, who has been attempting to see and/or steal miniatures in the National Art Gallery. There is a fight between the two and Kreton goes to jail. Ardis then visits Nadan and says she will love him if Kreton gets out of jail. A slew of small events between Ardis, Nadon, and the jail occur. Nadon performs in a play and Kreton is released from jail. Nadan alters any incriminating evidence from his journal. Nadon kills Ardis while claiming that Ardis is a symbol of America’s rule. Kreton and the police knock on Nadon’s door shortly after. It seems that he is imprisoned and killed, though the final scene is of Nadan’s mother and girlfriend speculating him being alive.