The Ultimate Intimacy

Book excerpt: “A compelling [novel] . . . charged with quiet yet urgent wisdom” that explores love, adultery, and faith—by the acclaimed Czech author of Love and Garbage (The Boston Globe). Pastor Daniel Vedra cares for his family and his congregation, from ministers to prisoners. He is a sought-after commentator in the rapidly changing society of the Czech Republic. But when a beautiful stranger comes to hear him preach, Daniel soon finds himself falling in love with another man’s wife. As his heart stirs, the order that once underpinned Daniel’s life begins to unravel. And as a result, he risks betraying everything he has lived for: his family, his vocation, and his God. In the course of a year, Klima’s moving, elegantly constructed novel paints “vivid portraits . . . through letters, diary entries, and everyday scenarios. . . . Many people will recognize a bit of themselves in this sad but stunning and insightful book” (Library Journal). A New York Times Notable Book, The Ultimate Intimacy “is an absorbing account of people seeking faith in an age of faithlessness” (Los Angeles Times Book Review).