Told in women's own words, this revolutionary book broke the silence surrounding women and adultery Dalma Heyn knows that wives have affairs—and why. She's spoken with hundreds of women who, desperate to break free of their quest to be the stereotypical "perfect wife," have reluctantly looked outside their marriages to find the pleasure and connection that eluded them. Her extensive first-person interviews and compelling case stories present a nuanced view of women's sexuality and marriage. Heyn contextualizes these stories with a critique of the cultural expectations placed on women by literature, experts, the institution of marriage, and themselves. Shocking and revelatory, The Erotic Silence of the American Wife is a groundbreaking book as vital to understanding marriage—and its unspoken effects on women's and men's relationships—as it was when it was first published. This ebook features an introduction by Dalma Heyn and an illustrated biography including rare photos from the author's personal collection.