Polly tries hard to keep everyone happy, whether it's bringing a scrumptious dessert to a dinner party, putting together a perfect snack for her hard-working husband (a little sandwich, oranges already peeled and sectioned), or doing whatever her mother "suggests" that she do. She takes it all on without resentment, until an affair with a painter throws her for a loop. The furnishings, rituals, food, music and art are all lovingly described as a backdrop to a tale of bourgeois happiness that takes an unexpected turn. One of my favorites of Colwin's books.