Published in Nadine Gordimer's 1980 short story collection, A Soldier's Embrace, "Town and Country Lovers" is like many of the author's works in its depiction of strained race relations in South Africa. Gordimer often writes about the daily lives of people, both black and white, who are affected by the restrictive measures taken by the government during apartheid. In this story, she shows the devastating consequences of violating the legal and societal rules about interracial relationships.