Overview

"Iconic couples' therapist and bestselling author of Mating in Captivity Esther Perel returns with a provocative look at relationships through the lens of infidelity. An affair: it can rob a couple of their relationship, their happiness, their very identity. And yet, this extremely common human experience is so poorly understood. What are we to make of this time-honored taboo--universally forbidden yet universally practiced? Why do people cheat--even those in happy marriages? Why does an affair hurt so much? When we say infidelity, what exactly do we mean? Do our romantic expectations of marriage set us up for betrayal? Is there such a thing as an affair-proof marriage? Is it possible to love more than one person at once? Can an affair ever help a marriage? Perel weaves real-life case stories with incisive psychological and cultural analysis in this fast-paced and compelling book. For the past ten years, Perel has traveled the globe and worked with hundreds of couples who have grappled with infidelity. Betrayal hurts, she writes, but it can be healed. An affair can even be the doorway to a new marriage--with the same person. With the right approach, couples can grow and learn from these tumultuous experiences, together or apart. Affairs, she argues, have a lot to teach us about modern relationships--what we expect, what we think we want, and what we feel entitled to. They offer a unique window into our personal and cultural attitudes about love, lust, and commitment. Through examining illicit love from multiple angles, Perel invites readers into an honest, enlightened, and entertaining exploration of modern marriage in its many variations. Fiercely intelligent, The State of Affairs provides a daring framework for understanding the intricacies of love and desire. As Perel observes, ""Love is messy; infidelity more so. But it is also a window, like no other, into the crevices of the human heart."""

Full Product Details

9781538503782

Table of Contents

Reviews

Through her research, [Perel is] able to dive into the sordid history of affairs, the modern prevalence of romantic love, and why, exactly, infidelity doesn't always lead to the dissolution of a marriage. As it turns out, the widely accepted reasons for why people cheat don't always apply-and the list of potential reasons is ever evolving. -- Refinery29 Poignant stories of couples facing the aftermath of an affair and the highly knowledgeable analysis and advice they received from a well-trained couples' therapist. -- Kirkus Reviews Perel's goal here is not to condone cheating on partners but rather to help readers feel compassion both for the victim and the perpetrator and offer strategies for addressing this complex issue. -- Booklist Recommended for couples, therapists, religious leaders, and anyone else interested in a deep look at the meanings, devastations, and potential growth avenues from infidelity. -- Library Journal The book is sure to spark intelligent conversations that will have readers everywhere examining their belief systems. This is a thought-provoking take on relationships and essential reading for couples dealing with infidelity. -- Publishers Weekly Sexologist Perel, a marriage crisis 'first responder, ' excavates the messy psychology of infidelity, digging into such charged topics as the 'new shame' of wives-staying with a cheater-and why even happy partners sometimes stray. -- O, The Oprah Magazine

"Sexologist Perel, a marriage crisis 'first responder, ' excavates the messy psychology of infidelity, digging into such charged topics as the 'new shame' of wives-staying with a cheater-and why even happy partners sometimes stray. -- ""O, The Oprah Magazine"" The book is sure to spark intelligent conversations that will have readers everywhere examining their belief systems. This is a thought-provoking take on relationships and essential reading for couples dealing with infidelity. -- ""Publishers Weekly"" Recommended for couples, therapists, religious leaders, and anyone else interested in a deep look at the meanings, devastations, and potential growth avenues from infidelity. -- ""Library Journal"" Perel's goal here is not to condone cheating on partners but rather to help readers feel compassion both for the victim and the perpetrator and offer strategies for addressing this complex issue. -- ""Booklist"" Poignant stories of couples facing the aftermath of an affair and the highly knowledgeable analysis and advice they received from a well-trained couples' therapist. -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" Through her research, [Perel is] able to dive into the sordid history of affairs, the modern prevalence of romantic love, and why, exactly, infidelity doesn't always lead to the dissolution of a marriage. As it turns out, the widely accepted reasons for why people cheat don't always apply-and the list of potential reasons is ever evolving. -- ""Refinery29"""

Sexologist Perel, a marriage crisis 'first responder, ' excavates the messy psychology of infidelity, digging into such charged topics as the 'new shame' of wives-staying with a cheater-and why even happy partners sometimes stray. -- O, The Oprah Magazine The book is sure to spark intelligent conversations that will have readers everywhere examining their belief systems. This is a thought-provoking take on relationships and essential reading for couples dealing with infidelity. -- Publishers Weekly Recommended for couples, therapists, religious leaders, and anyone else interested in a deep look at the meanings, devastations, and potential growth avenues from infidelity. -- Library Journal Perel's goal here is not to condone cheating on partners but rather to help readers feel compassion both for the victim and the perpetrator and offer strategies for addressing this complex issue. -- Booklist Poignant stories of couples facing the aftermath of an affair and the highly knowledgeable analysis and advice they received from a well-trained couples' therapist. -- Kirkus Reviews Through her research, [Perel is] able to dive into the sordid history of affairs, the modern prevalence of romantic love, and why, exactly, infidelity doesn't always lead to the dissolution of a marriage. As it turns out, the widely accepted reasons for why people cheat don't always apply-and the list of potential reasons is ever evolving. -- Refinery29

Author Information

Psychotherapist Esther Perel is recognized as one of the most insightful and original voices on modern love. Fluent in nine languages, she has a therapy practice in New York City and serves as an organizational consultant for Fortune 500 companies around the world. Her celebrated TED Talks have garnered eighteen million viewers and her bestseller Mating in Captivity has been translated into twenty-four languages and has become a global phenomenon. Perel is also an executive producer and the host of the Audible original audio series Where Should We Begin?

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available