{"product_id":"9780743288965","title":"Alternatives to Sex: A Novel","description":"The bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Object of My Affection\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTrue Enough\u003c\/i\u003e delivers his most compelling and richly observed novel to date with this portrait of one man's search for the holy trinity of modern life -- true love, good sex, and great real estate. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Stephen McCauley's new novel is a moving and hilarious chronicle of life in post-traumatic, morally ambiguous America where the desire to do good is constantly being tripped up by the need to feel good. Right now. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e William Collins is a real estate agent working near Boston. Despite a boom market, his sales figures aren't what they should be, due mostly to the distractions of compulsive ironing and housecleaning binges and his penchant for nightly online cruising for hookups -- \"less impersonal than old-fashioned anonymous sex because you exchanged fake names with the person.\" \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e There's also his struggle to collect the rent from Kumiko Rothberg, his passive-aggressive tenant, and his worries about his best friend, Edward, a flight attendant he's certainly \u003ci\u003enot\u003c\/i\u003e in love with. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e William has known for some time that his habits are slipping out of control. But he figures that \"as long as I acknowledged my behavior was a problem, it wasn't one.\" \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e When he finally decides to do something about his life, he needs a role model of calm stability. Enter Charlotte O'Malley and Samuel Thompson, wealthy suburbanites looking for the perfect city apartment. \"Happy couple,\" William writes in his notes. \"Maybe I can learn something from them.\" But what he learns challenges his own assumptions about real estate, love, and desire. And what they learn from him might unravel a budding friendship, not to mention a very promising sale. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Full of crackling dialogue delivered by a stellar ensemble of players, \u003ci\u003eAlternatives to Sex\u003c\/i\u003e is social satire at its very best: A smart, sophisticated, and astonishingly funny look at the way we live now.","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47067912569072,"sku":"9780743288965","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780743288965_p0.jpg?v=1763639063","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780743288965","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}