Set in Connecticut and New York, this is the story of a prosperous suburban commuter whose future happiness is threatened by a responsibility he incurred as a soldier. Tom Rath doesn't want anything extraordinary out of life: just a decent home, enough money to support his family, and a career that won't crush his spirit. After returning from World War II, he takes a PR job at a television network. It is inane, dehumanizing work. But when a series of personal crises force him to reexamine his priorities -- and take responsibility for his past -- he is finally moved to carve out an identity for himself. Tom barely survived as an Army paratroop officer during World War II, having fought in both the European and Pacific combat theaters. He had an extramarital affair in Italy during the former and has haunting flashbacks of the affair, as well as his combat experiences. His stay-at-home wife knows only that Tom has somehow "changed" since the war. Tom's wartime affair resulted in a son conceived in Italy, whose mother suddenly contacts him to seek monetary support at a most inconvenient time. With no understanding of the horrors of war, Betsy, Toe's wife, becomes furious upon learning of this secret and becomes estranged from Tom. However, she comes to understand that mutual emotional support, not just mutual ambition, bind wife and husband.

Also issued online.

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