Kay Boyle (1902-1992) was a prolific writer of novels, poetry, childrens fiction, and translations from French. She and her third husband Baron Joseph von Franckenstein were victims of Macarthyism and HUAC, both being blacklisted from various outlets. The story of a French woman who loves an Austrian–but it is more than a love story, for Corinne is the incorruptible non-appeaser of our time; and Ferdl is the opportunitist, the arranger, who tries all facets in order to manipulate his own security.