Disturbing the Peace

John Wilder is in his mid-thirties, a successful New York advertising salesman with an attractive Manhattan apartment, a place in the country, an adoring wife and a ten-year-old son. But something has started to go wrong. His wife no longer interests him. His son grows more distant by the day. His infidelities are leading him nowhere.

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Everything began to go wrong for Janice Wilder in the late summer of 1960. And the worst part, she always said afterwards, the awful part, was that it seemed to happen without warning...John Wilder is in his mid-thirties, a successful New York advertising salesman with an attractive Manhattan apartment, a place in the country, an adoring wife and a ten-year-old son. But something has started to go wrong. His wife no longer interests him. His son grows more distant by the day. His infidelities are leading him nowhere, and he has begun to drink too much. Suddenly John Wilder finds himself slipping into a well of despair, cast into a state of utter confusion and lack of control. His wife and friends stand helplessly by, unable to pull him out. For he has shattered the frail peace of their little world, and no one dares follow him to bring him back. First published in 1975, "Kirkus Reviews" called "Disturbing the Peace" 'Yates's strongest novel since Revolutionary Road.' It is a brilliantly savage glimpse into one man's private and lonely agony.