"Something is wrong with Eddie Hobson, Sr., father of four, sometime history teacher, quizmaster, black humorist, and virtuoso invalid. His recurring fainting spells have worsened, and with his ingrained aversion to doctors, his worried family tries to discover the nature of his sickness. Meanwhile, in private, Eddie puts the finishing touches on a secret project he calls Hobstown, a place that he promises will save him, the world, and everything that's in it."