This is a coming-of-age story, viewed through the lens of 1980s culture. The title Racecourse Oranges is a metaphor for the central theme of the book. It dwells on class and age, sexuality and celibacy. It is about a bicycle racer that is allergic to oranges but he desperately wants to eat a slice during a race. He encounters a woman that he realizes will likely cause him trouble. Despite the inevitable consequences, he eats the orange slice.