The Secret Life of the Cheating Wife: Power, Pragmatism, and Pleasure in Women's Infidelity PDF

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Sociology • Women’s Studies ALK ER . W WALKER “In certain marriages, behind smiling family photographs are everyday women who I A M E I C F carry dangerous and delectable secrets. In this revealing new book, they tell their sto- L I A T L ries. Unwilling to divorce, but frustrated by sexual boredom ...

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Sociology • Women’s Studies

“The Secret Life of the Cheating Wife challenges gendered stereotypes and expectations of what and how women desire. Using compelling data, Walker demonstrates both diversity and commonality among unfaithful women and, in a truly sociological way, makes sense of the complexity of this stigmatized identity. A great read for anyone interested in sexualities in the digital age.” —Beth Montemurro, Penn State University, Abington Using a sample collected from Ashley Madison, this book is the result of a year-long inquiry into women’s extramarital experiences. Ultimately, these women reject the binary proposition of marriage that assumes that either we work on our marriages and remain monogamous within them, or we break up the relationship and take up other relationships. These women conceive of an alternate solution to marriages that are not wholly working, where their own needs are ignored, unmet, and not prioritized. Thus, the women in this study are engaging in secret defiance of the expectations of marriage and primary partnerships. This book gives voice to women’s experiences and perceptions regarding their participation in infidelity, and glimpses into the interworkings of our most intimate relationships, and the ways women negotiate marriages that fall short of their expectations.

ALICIA WALKER is assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at Missouri State University. ISBN 978-1-4985-4460-3 9 0 0 0 0

LEXINGTON BOOKS An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield 800-462-6420 • www.rowman.com

9 781498 544603

Cover image © iStock.com/AndreyPopov

THE SECRET LIFE OF THE CHEATING WIFE

“This fascinating and well-written book develops a sociology of infidelity, bringing insight into marriage, monogamy, relationships, and internet dating that will be useful for researchers examining relationships; professors teaching classes about the family, sexuality, and gender; and counselors of patients who are involved with infidelity. I was intrigued by the details of how women who cheat think about their actions, and form and negotiate the details of their affairs, and the benefits and drawbacks they get from those affairs. The distinct social norms around affairs reveal what we often take for granted in other relationships. Many of my assumptions about affairs were overturned, and it was a fun read too!” —Arielle Kuperberg, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

WALKER

“In certain marriages, behind smiling family photographs are everyday women who carry dangerous and delectable secrets. In this revealing new book, they tell their stories. Unwilling to divorce, but frustrated by sexual boredom and the tedium of modern middle-class life, their affairs serve as a release valve for an otherwise stultifying reality. Full of contradictions, Alicia M. Walker’s interviewees offer a window onto the ‘cheating wife,’ one that challenges our assumptions about women, power, morality, and monogamy itself.” —Lisa Wade, Occidental College

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