"Eric Alwin has gone to visit his elderly father, a once commanding and charismatic Maryland senator who has seen his reputation soured - and his family broken - by a sex scandal. Realizing that his own unfaithfulness and disaffection with his career and marriage seem to be a continuation of a family pattern, Eric is astonished to find his father proposing a bold expedition." "The ensuing trip through the Deep South and the American heartland becomes both a journey into the emotional truth of the Alwin family and a break-through into a new kind of resilience, understanding, and love. Along the way, Eric will know anew not only his mother, Audrey, but his sisters, Alice and Poppy, and his own wife and son. As he discovers the surprising secret behind the scandal that defined his father's fate, he will also realize what he must do to shape a more authentic and coherent life for himself."--BOOK JACKET.