Southern California

Several of the stories are set in various regions in Southern California. These stories include “What Can You Do with a General,” “Los Angeles,” “Menlo Park,” “Marion,” “A/S/L,” and “The Nanny.” In many ways, these stories seek to interrogate the mythomania that people often have regarding Southern California, its aesthetics, and its connections to the entertainment industry. For example, at one point in “What Can You Do with a General,” John partially regrets raising his children in Southern California, as he worries it has made them self-absorbed.

Freeman Farms

The story “Arcadia” takes place on a farm called Freeman Farms, which is owned by the character Otto. The farm’s employees are mostly seasonal workers who live in trailers on the land. Living in the farmhouse are Otto, his younger sister Heddy, and Peter, who I the father of Heddy’s unborn child. As Peter...