Introduction. Collecting oneself -- Unstill lives. Roving eye ; An unfinished woman ; A woman's touch ; Blue yonder ; Out of the ruins ; But a dream ; Her own society -- Mother country. Drawn from life ; Closet encounters ; O pioneers! ; World of interiors -- Stagecraft. Walking through walls ; Nowhere woman ; Carnal knowledge ; The Cleopatriad ; Skin deep ; Regime change -- Scenes from a marriage. Two for one ; Radical chic ; Silent partner ; Born outsiders -- Eye of the needle. Cut loose ; The empire's new clothes ; Dressing up ; Eye of the needle ; Stitches in time ; Daisy's ghost -- Speaking in tongues. A loss for words ; Maltese for beginners -- Troubling love. Darkness wearable ; Free associations ; Doll's play ; Under the volcano -- FAQs. Ask Betty ; Helenism -- Deep dives. First impressions ; Streaming device ; Book of revelation ; Asylum seeker

"A collection of essays from Judith Thurman, a writer "blessed with intellectual curiosity, a sharp wit and unwillingness to receive opinions" (The New York Times)"--