This novel is the record of an engaging series of conversations between an Earthling and an alien. The Earthling, who lives joyfully as a philosopher and musician in the historic town of Gettysburg, is deeply troubled by the current state of affairs on the planet Earth and is in total despair about what he perceives as the degraded state of humanity. At one of his gigs he meets an oddly mysterious character who is also a philosopher and who, strangely, claims to be visiting from another planet. Thus begins an engaging series of conversations that takes a profound look at humanity from the largest possible-albeit intergalactic-perspective. This novel won't take you to different planets, but it might give you a completely different perspective on this one.