The Virgin & the Strip Mall contains 62 essays, most of which were originally published over a period of years in the Sunday Gazette in Schenectady, NY. They deal with a wide variety of topics, most with some connection to the area. While this book does not contain all the essays Weaver has written for the opinion pages of newspapers, they contain ones he believes are still relevant because the issues they touch on have not been resolved. Others are included because they provide historical background issues which may be of use to future generations.