Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline have three children--Chas, Margot and Richie--a family of geniuses. Chas started buying real estate in his early teens (having a seemingly preternatural understanding of international finance), Margot was a playwright (who received a Braverman grant of $50,000 in the ninth grade) and Richie was a junior champion tennis player (who won the U.S. Nationals three years in a row). Each genius' ability appeared unparalleled until Royal and Etheline separated and virtually all memory of the Tenenbaum brilliance was subsequently erased. The tale follows the family's sudden and unexpected reunion one winter.