DeLillo's tenth novel chronicles the muting of the artist's voice in modern culture and the simultaneous appearance of darker, more sinister voices. Protagonist Bill Gray is paralyzed, caught between the burden of his life in hiding and his refusal to be shaped by the culture industry. On top of this, the news addiction and image worship that disable him also provide a medium for terrorism. As Gray observes, "Years ago I used to think it was possible for a novelist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory."

Brian Thomas