Excerpt from Group by Paul Solotaroff, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"But I don't understand, how can he just avoid due process?" said Jack. "Believe me, I know the system, I've been divorced four times. If I could've stiffed my second wife by moving to Saint Bart's, I'd probably still be living over there now."

"Yeah, really, Lina, who's your lawyer?" asked Rex. "I know two guys right now who could end this by Friday. Or at least get a check to tide you over."

"People, please: Lina's telling her story," said Lathon. "If she wants your advice, she'll ask for it. But just so you know, therapy's what we do here. Advice, I leave to Dear Abby."

The others fell silent, stung by his tone. As they were beginning to find out, he was a different kettle of fish here than the Lathon they saw one-on-one. He was something of an enforcer, tough about the rules, and indelicate with people's feelings. His first priority was to protect the narrative, to let the story flow unhindered. To that end, he bit down hard on intrusions, and offered no apologies or explanations.

"Please continue, Lina," he said. "You were telling us about your money problems, and what Anton's tactics have cost you."

Lina paused, getting her bearings again. Though fazed by the interruption, she looked vaguely pleased to have Lathon ride shotgun for her.

"Well, I just want to say that my lawyer's not the problem. What she's dealing with is a guy worth millions of dollars who'll spend any amount to beat me. He hires and fires lawyers, which buys him adjournments, and puts us right back at square one. He appeals every ruling, which is very expensive, but gets him another three months. And twice, before a court date, he's negotiated a deal, then reneged after we called off the hearing. If you're rich, and you get the right judge, you can get away with murder in this state."

"Yes, that's true," said Lathon. "The law in New York is archaic, at least when the case is contested. And for sure, Lina, we sympathize, and feel your frustration, and look forward to hearing this at length. But there's a second issue here that needs our attention, and is perhaps where we can be of more help. And that's the idea that you're a ninety-pound weakling, going against a two-ton giant. Yes, he has money, and no conscience to weigh him down, but he's very, very far from a powerhouse. Whereas you, despite the evidence, are very far from helpless. And our job, over the months, is to help correct your vision. To show you what the real picture is, so that you can fight, on equal terms, for what's yours."

And finally, then, there was Peter, who'd been silent since group began. In his chair beside the wall, he'd watched with vigilant eyes that were magnified by his glasses. During a lull in the action, he didn't drift or check his watch, declaring himself by gesture, as the others did. Instead, he took up peering at a colleague across the square, lingering as if in study of some exotic animal.

They'd been in session for two hours and Lathon was looking for a last speaker, albeit one who didn't mind keeping it short. He was apologizing for this, promising that at the next meeting he'd man the clock better, when Peter raised his hand and said he'd do it. It was almost better this way, he said, in his clothespinned voice. Now, he could say his stuff and not feel he had to talk for an hour. Because, after listening to Jack and Lina, he was embarrassed at how small his problems were. He'd be lucky just to fill the fifteen minutes.

He began with the rote facts--age, thirty-four; marital status, divorced; occupation, accountant--then got to the matter at hand. He had recently emerged from a long depression, though he couldn't really gauge how long; maybe as far back as childhood. He'd always been one of those kids who was shy and didn't make friends easily, and spent a lot of time alone in his room. Now, after taking Zoloft, he was beginning to wonder if it had always been a chemical thing. . . .

Reprinted from GROUP by Paul Solotaroff by permission of Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc. Copyright © 1999 by Paul Solotaroff. All rights reserved. This excerpt, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.