A strange and surprising journey around the world to examine how and why people cheat on their spouses. From Memphis to Moscow, people cheat on their spouses with astonishing frequency--but even illicit love has rules, and these rules differ radically from country to country. Acclaimed journalist Druckerman decided to investigate extramarital affairs all around the world to discover how different cultures deal with adultery--and her research leads her to believe that both the concept and the consequences of infidelity are far less rigid outside the United States. Americans, she decides, are the least adept at having affairs, have the most trouble enjoying them, and, in the end, suffer the most as a result of them. The rules of fidelity aren't as strict in many other parts of the world because many cultures acknowledge that adultery is an expected, if not acceptable, part of the marriage contract.--From publisher description.