The year is 1163 and King Henry II of England summons John of Salisbury, noted scholar, diplomat, and clerk to the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. As the conflict between the king and archbishop grows, John must choose between fealty to his king and loyalty to the institution he serves. In a timeless tale of the uses and abuses of power, hypocrisy and duplicity, friendship and courage, The Choice follows the life of a brilliant man and dedicated public servant who lived through the most turbulent of times and struggled to make sense of it all.