Author Belle Burden shares how her husband walked out on their 20-year marriage during the pandemic
April 29, 2026
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1:34Now PlayingAuthor Belle Burden shares how her husband walked out on their 20-year marriage during the pandemic
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as posted by the channelIn the bestselling book "Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage," author Belle Burden tells the story of her husband walking out on their 20-year marriage at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown.
The man she refers to as “James” in the book told Burden that he no longer wanted to be married or have custody of their three children. He leaves the family’s home on Martha’s Vineyard and returns to New York alone. He stops returning her texts and phone calls, leaving Belle Burden to try and figure out why he didn't want their life anymore.
James finally returns to the island several weeks later to join Burden in telling their children that they are divorcing. Moments after delivering the news, he turns to Burden and asks her to make him a sandwich. In that moment, Burden tells All Things Considered host Juana Summers, she had a choice to make.
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