Abe Ravelstein is a famously iconoclastic university professor who has died from AIDS; his close friend Chick is writing a memoir about him. As the story unfolds, we hear Ravelstein's (and Chick's) complex, challenging, often uproarious thoughts on mortality, history, art, sex, even vaudeville routines from the distant past. At the same time, we are drawn into a beautifully nuanced portrait of a rare and fascinating friendship. Deeply insightful and always moving, Ravelstein is an unforgettable journey through love and memory.