Christopher Bram, Exiles in America

Exiles in America

Christopher Bram

Morrow, September 2006, $24.95

ISBN: 0061138347

In Williamsburg, Virginia, in their late forties professor Daniel Wexler and psychiatrist Zachary Knowles have been a happily "unmarried" couple for over two decades yet. However, they look so solid to everyone who knows either of them, that they assume the pair will remain together until one dies. However, their close loving relationship no longer includes sex between them; instead Daniel has affairs while Zack has become celibate.

When the college's resident artist of the year arrives, Iranian Abbas Rohani and his Russian spouse Elena with their two children, Zack and Daniel are the first to truly welcome them by inviting them to dinner. While Zack and Elena hold an intelligent discussion, Daniel tries to impress the arrogant attractive Abbas by showing him his paintings. Zack and Elena begin to forge a close friendship, but Abbas devastates Daniel by saying his paintings are poor. After seeing Abbas' superior work, Daniel and the Iranian hunk begin an affair that threaten both marriages, at the same time that Abbas' pious older brother Hassan demands he and his wife return to Iran immediately.

This is a well written interesting relationship drama starring four fascinating protagonists that is a modernizing of the late 1960's movie "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice". The storyline digs deep into the four prime players mostly through their relationships with the other three in a sort of rectangular connection. Though at times, Christopher Bram seems to want to normalize the coupling which takes away from the prime premise that relationships come in all forms, fans who appreciate a deep character study will enjoy this fascinating look at Zack and Daniel and Abbas and Elena.