ThreeWomen

Desire is a force that both thrills and torments us, controlling our thoughts and sometimes destroying our lives. It is a buried force that often goes unexplored, yet it is all that we live for. Journalist Lisa Taddeo has spent the last eight years driving across the country to embed herself with ordinary women from diverse backgrounds. The result of her immersive reporting is Three Women, a groundbreaking nonfiction portrait of desire and one of the most anticipated books of the year.

The book begins in suburban Indiana with Lina, a homemaker and mother of two whose marriage has lost its passion after a decade. Her husband refuses to kiss her on the mouth, claiming that the sensation offends him. Even her marriage counselors say his position is valid, leaving Lina starved for affection and battling daily panic attacks. When she reconnects with an old flame through social media, she embarks on an affair that becomes all-consuming.

In North Dakota, we meet Maggie, a high school student who finds a confidant in her handsome, married English teacher. Their supportive nightly texts and phone calls evolve into a physical relationship, but on the morning of his thirtieth birthday, he breaks up with her. Several years later, Maggie has no degree, career, or dreams to live for. When she learns that he has been named North Dakota’s Teacher of the Year, she comes forward with her story, only to be met with disbelief by former schoolmates and the jury that hears her case.

Finally, in an exclusive enclave of the Northeast, we meet Sloane, a successful and refined restaurant owner who is happily married to a man who likes to watch her have sex with other men and women. He selects partners for her alone or for threesomes, and Sloane ensures that everyone’s needs are satisfied. For years, Sloane has been asking herself where her husband’s desire ends and hers begins. One day, they invite a new man into their bed, but he brings a secret with him that forces Sloane to confront the power dynamics that fuel their lifestyle.

Three Women is a triumph of storytelling that introduces us to three unforgettable women and one remarkable writer whose experiences remind us that we are not alone. It is a nuanced and empathetic portrayal of erotic longing in today’s America, exposing the fragility, complexity, and inequality of female desire with unprecedented depth and emotional power.

作者简介

LisaTaddeohascontributedtoNewYorkmagazine,Esquire,Elle,Glamour,andmanyotherpublications.HernonfictionhasbeenincludedintheBestAmericanSportsWritingandBestAmericanPoliticalWritinganthologies,andhershortstorieshavewontwoPushcartPrizes.SheliveswithherhusbandanddaughterinNewEngland.