The Law of Enclosures is the harrowing story of Beatrice and Henry, who have two children, Susan and John, the protagonist of Martin and John. The Law of Enclosures charts the tortured relationship of Beatrice and Henry in chapters that alternate between the early days of their marriage and their last attempts, forty years later, to salvage a lifetime of accusations and recriminations, mistrust and betrayal.

At the heart of The Law of Enclosures is Dale Peck's own family memoir, which becomes the lens through which we view Henry and Beatrice. This moving portrait of the artist himself transforms a simple account of marriage into a universal story that offers a profound perspective on cycles of growth and disintegration.