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After severe rashes, itching, and an ear infection, Chu learns from her doctor that plants can cause allergies. She undertakes a comprehensive study of her environs in Pleasanton, California, and through trial and error, determines that the oil from the neighborhood white birch trees is the culprit. By the time she discovers this, her husband and neighbors have planted many white birches, and Chu's nightmare continues.
In exacting detail, Chu documents her campaign to raise awareness of white birch tree allergies, which now affect her dogs and perhaps other neighbors, and rid the neighborhood of birches. Chi does not succeed with the latter, but does begin the life of amateur scientist, researching allergens and conducting at-home experiments in an attempt to disseminate proof of birch and other environmental irritants. A unique experiment involved curdling cow's milk to conclude that clogged nipples can cause breast cancer in human females. Detailed botanical and chemical data on white birch trees are more believable.
At best, the book is a Walden of white birch allergies, with Chu an eccentric Thoreau, peppering her text with what she ate for breakfast, her difficulties navigating life, and the characteristics of people that lead to human disaster and other philosophical asides. Perspiration becomes "human moisture" and the sun "a huge diamond" (literally) in the sky. Delusions include her capturing Osama Bin Laden and ousting Saddam Hussein, as well as working with US treasurer Henry Paulson to bail out banks. However, grammatical errors are distracting, such as dropping the articles "a" and "an." Extraneous, rambling anecdotes and repetition wound the narrative. Outstanding, though, is her research into the toxic properties of the white birch tree and her sincere desire to educate others about this allergen, perhaps causing people to think twice about planting white birch trees in residential areas.