Professor Jason Larson ("Lars"), a scholar of Romantic and Victorian poetry at a prestigious Connecticut university, has an unusual way of looking at the world. He sees romance and beauty in everyday life, and lives life to the fullest. He treasures every moment with his family, every sunset - and every beautiful coed that comes his way. Young Iris Weed, a modern-day Thoreau (or so she would like to think), approaches Lars with a novel idea for an independent study: she wants to live in her truck for an entire semester, stripped of possessions and modern-day conveniences, and document her experience in a journal for possible publication. Smitten by Iris's ambition and literary flair as well as her ivory skin, Lars agrees to become her advisor, and everything goes swimmingly. Until Iris is killed in a vicious attack in a parking lot. And Lars, last seen arguing with Iris near the murder scene, is left holding the journal.