The Rest of Our Lives

Published in 2025, The Rest of Our Lives is a work of literary fiction by British-American novelist Ben Markovits. The novel traces narrator Tom Layward’s haphazard attempts to orient to middle age. When Tom drops off his daughter at college, he makes the impromptu decision to continue driving across the country by himself. Throughout his unplanned journey, Tom reflects on his unhappy marriage, his controversial beliefs, and his professional disappointments. Written from Tom’s first-person point of view, the novel explores themes that include Navigating Identity in Middle Age, The Friction Arising from Culture Wars, and The Fear of Emotional Confrontation.

This guide refers to the 2025 Summit Books hardback edition.

Content Warnings/DEIB Concerns: The source text and this guide feature depictions of sexual content, racism, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, emotional abuse, substance use, self-harm, illness, and death.

Plot Summary

First-person narrator Tom Layward is a father and husband in his fifties. He lives in Westchester County with his wife, Amy, and his teenage daughter, Miriam (Miri). His son, Michael, now lives and works in California. Tom works part-time as a lawyer and teaches at the local law school. Although he has a nominally peaceful life, Tom has been unhappy since Amy had an affair with a man from her synagogue named Zach Zirsky, but he agreed not to discuss divorce until both their kids had left for college.

When it comes time for Miri to move away for school, Tom realizes that his opportunity to start a new life has come. He and Amy plan to drive Miri to Carnegie Mellon. In the days before Miri and Tom leave, Amy is miserable and moody. She picks fights with Tom and continually criticizes Miri. Michael is in town and tries to intercede, but Amy is inconsolable. At the last minute, she decides not to go on the trip because she fears that she’ll say the wrong thing and ruin it for Tom and Miri.

Tom and Miri set out from New York to Pennsylvania. They chat about the end of Miri’s relationship with her high school boyfriend, Jim, and chat about Michael’s alleged relationship with a woman six years older than him. When they arrive at the campus, Tom helps Miri move in. They part ways, and Tom heads out to his college friend Sam Tierney’s house.

Tom stays with Sam for a day or so. He tries to reconnect with his friend and confide in him about his sadness over Miri and frustrations with Amy, but Sam struggles to understand. He’s single and doesn’t have kids. He promises to talk more about these issues over lunch with Tom, but Tom abruptly leaves without saying goodbye.

Tom gets a call from another college friend named Brian Palmetto. Brian wants Tom to represent a young basketball player named Todd Gimmell. Todd is trying to sue the league for discriminating against white players like himself, and Brian thinks this is a perfect opportunity for Tom to reclaim his career. Tom recently represented another controversial figure in the basketball world, which has gotten him in trouble with the law school. He’s now on a mandatory leave of absence until the controversy blows over. Tom decides that he’ll head out to Denver to see Brian and hear more about the case.

On the way, Tom stops in South Bend, Indiana, to see his brother, Eric. Eric gives Tom a brief tour of the town while lamenting his marital, parental, and vocational woes. The brothers then go out to a local bar, drink, and play pool. The night is enjoyable until they get into an argument about whether a woman whom they meet in the bar is really interested in Tom or Eric.

The next morning, Tom feels Eric cooling toward him. However, he’s grateful that Eric asks after his health. Tom has been having inexplicable symptoms for months following a bout of COVID. His face gets puffy, his eyes leak, he can’t breathe, and he sometimes has dizzy spells. Whenever someone suggests he get help, he objects.

Tom drives from Indiana to Colorado. He stays with Brian for a time, and the friends fall readily back into their old college patterns. Brian tells Tom more about Todd Gimmell, opens up about his family struggles, and eagerly invites Tom to stay with him when he hears about his and Amy’s issues. Tom decides against it and gets back on the road.

Tom drives to Las Vegas and reunites with an ex-girlfriend named Jill McGurk. They have a pleasant day together, but Tom embarrasses Jill when he tells her that he knows it will be a mistake to sleep together. His perpetually unaffected manner irritates her. The two say goodbye, and Tom continues to California.

In California, Tom meets with Todd Gimmell. Todd’s bigoted viewpoints shock Tom, but he realizes that he’s in danger of becoming like Todd if he doesn’t change. He decides not to take the case, and they part ways. Afterward, Tom meets up with Michael. They spend a few pleasant days together, but one day, Tom passes out after a swim, so Michael rushes him to the hospital. Tom sees several doctors and has multiple tests. Eventually, he learns that he has lymphoma. Michael stays by his side and contacts Amy, who flies out to see Tom. She apologizes to him for everything, and they make amends. After Tom is discharged, he and Amy head home.