The plot of the novel revolves around 28 Barbary Lane. In what ways does the author imbue the building itself with an almost-human character?

Edgar describes himself as “‘the biggest asshole on the Barbary Coast’” (90). However, he is often glimpsed in tender, nostalgic moments. How does the tension between the two ends of the spectrum reconcile itself, particularly with regard to Edgar’s health?

Though the novel is set in the 1970s, it is very much a product of the 1960s. How does nostalgia and an affection for the past affect the contemporary lives of the characters?