Journalist Signs Major Book Deal

Jesse Barron, a journalist based in Los Angeles and a reporter for The New York Times Magazine, has secured a significant book deal with Penguin’s Riverhead Books after intense competition, according to sources from Page Six Hollywood.

His forthcoming book, titled *Transference*, draws inspiration from a news article published in 2023. It was initially reported by Post.

The narrative centers around Michael Pollack, a middle-aged hedge fund manager, who filed a contentious lawsuit claiming that a female psychologist led him to feel “trapped” in his marriage, seducing him and subjecting him to sexual abuse. Their relationship spanned a decade, and according to court documents, Pollack made substantial payments, referred to as “lover’s money,” to his therapist after each session.

Pollack labeled his experience as “sexual transference,” asserting in his lawsuit that he paid over $50,000 for treatment over three years, plus an additional $250,000 in what he called “mistress money” once their affair turned intimate. He recounted how returning to New York after surviving the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks led him to depend on her psychologically and to develop romantic feelings for her, particularly exploiting his PTSD from the attacks.

Motivated by the 2023 Post piece, Barron reached out to Pollack through his attorney and wrote a lengthy feature for literary magazine Granta on this ongoing situation. The therapist has denied all allegations in court filings.

Page Six Hollywood has contacted Riverhead for further comments on the book deal.

Previously, Barron contributed to a 2017 Esquire article titled “The Girl from Plainville,” which depicted a young woman from a small Massachusetts town who faced trial for murder after prosecutors argued that her text messages and calls contributed to her boyfriend’s suicide. This article eventually adapted into a Hulu series in 2022 featuring Elle Fanning and Chloe Sevigny, where Barron served as a consulting producer.