Truth and Consequences

A masterful blend of love, adultery, and academia where love and consequences collide.

Jane is a widow facing unexpected encounters, and Alan, a man grappling with his own demons. As his condition deteriorates, the couple's relationship becomes increasingly strained. Jane finds herself overwhelmed by the demands of caring for Alan, feeling more like an employee than a devoted wife. The intimacy they once shared is replaced by caution and frustration, as Jane grapples with her own feelings of resentment and guilt.

Alan seeks solace from someone else in the understanding of his artistic struggles while grappling with feelings of inadequacy and guilt over his failing marriage. They experience confrontations and revelations that force them both to confront their choices and the emotional toll of their circumstances.

Lurie poignantly captures their internal struggles, revealing how illness reshapes identities and connections.
“A wry, insightful, thoroughly enjoyable tale about how men and women choose their demons and their lovers, and the sacrifices they’re willing to make for both.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Delightful . . . Her characters are, as always, wonderfully imperfect.” —The New York Review of Books

"A wily, shapely tale of love's labors lost."—ElleAlison Lurie is the author of many highly praised novels, including The War Between the Tates, The Truth About Lorin Jones (Prix Femina Etranger), and Foreign Affairs (Pulitzer Prize for fiction). Her most recent book was Familiar Spirits. She taught writing, folklore, and literature at Cornell University. Lurie passed away in 2020.