The rough patch: marriage and the art of living together

The rough patch: an introduction

A brief history of the midlife crisis

Feeling close, in love and sex

Marriage as a story

Affairs, flirting, and fantasy: they're never about nothing

Alcohol and other attempted escapes

Money: the knife in the drawer

Lovesickness and longing: putting them to use

Body, health, and age: the stakes only get higher

The empty nest: children, parents, and the turning of the generations

Staying or leaving

Love is a conversation.