Story of friendship, ambition, failure, real life issues performed by realistic characters. Well conceived and well put together story. Only weakness that became distracting was the extreme, continuous and relationship ending arguments between friends--very unrealistic, nobody's friendhsip would survive even one of these. Also, the extreme anger of the main character, Ben, which was totally uncontrolled did not mesh with an intellectual capable of earning a position of US S. Ct law clerk.