Sloan Wilson is best known for "The man in the grey flannel suit" - which was made into a movie starring Gregory Peck - 1950's --- I read a blurb description of this book that said - "A protagonist Nathan Bond is a disenchanted cartoonist involved with adultery and alcoholism" and it wasn't well received. I don't think this was a good description for this book. this book is about a young couple who both have a sense of values - the kind I would think we all start off having. The problem is - life gets in the way, temptations get in the way and this book basically tells the tale of a young couple who acquire great success, workaholic husband, who is constantly putting off spending time with his kids because he is afraid that the success will end if he doesn't continue working, a wife who feels abandoned by her husband - both having high sense of values decide to give up on the marriage when confronted by their failures to live up to the values that they believe in. The best quote in the book -is from Amy's Aunt Bettina - when trying to understand why Nathan & Amy can not work out their differences instead of getting a divorce ------ she says to Nathan " I value the ability to accept responsibility, and I value courage-courage in the face of defeat." A sense of values is nothing if there isn't enough courage to back it up. (page 39 -Bettina) - I really enjoyed this book - thinking that it was written in early 1950's - today's couples aren't that much different. ( )