The book follows the fortunes of Norm, a public sector consultant, from before his entry into the branch through to his maturation as a fully-fledged member of the profession. Each chapter takes Norm (and the reader) through a succession of contracts in central and eastern European countries such as Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia... Each new job and country presents new challenges and specific difficulties. He manages to meet the challenges and overcome the difficulties, but only just. More than often he finds himself in impossible positions, hilarious situations, and absurd dramas. And these experiences leave their mark .