Sylvester Van Zandt is a reluctant CIA agent assigned to track down the source of illegal arms in 1958 Beirut while posing a college student at the American University in Beirut, but the Lebanese revolution results in him being reassigned to a British cultural exchange tour through the mid-east and India to continue his mission. Along the way he befriends a White Russian émigré who was raised in China and the two stumble from pillar to post in their light hearted adventure. Although unbelievable, much of the story is based on actual events.