Wolitzer, Meg

Joan Castleman, traveling with her husband, famous novelist Joseph Castleman, to Helsinki where he is to be honored with a prestigious award, comes to the realization that she has had enough and wants out of their long, deceptive marriage.

When the high school drama teacher begins choosing actors for roles in Aristophane's "Lysistrata, " the school's women become inexplicably inclined to deny their husbands and boyfriends physical affection, which causes the men to become confused, frustrated, and offended, and both sexes begin to examine their shared history and sexual selves.

Twelve-year-olds Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano meet at the Youth Scrabble Tournament where, although each has a different reason for attending and for needing to win, they realize that something more important is at stake than the grand prize.