The first-person hero of this allegorical sci-fi/fantasy novel, an englishman by the name of Phil Meredith, is shipwrecked on the technologically advanced island of Pantopia, whose inhabitants speak a variant of Spanish. There he finds mentors in the beautiful Aura (with whom he falls in love) and her father, the wise Saavedra, who discourse with him on Pantopian society, science and religion.
Frank Harris was an Irish-American writer, editor and publisher who was known for his controversial autobiography, My Life and Loves, which was banned in several countries for its explicit sexual content. Harris was born in Ireland in 1854 and moved to the United States when he was 15. He worked in various jobs before studying at the University of Kansas and later in London. He became a journalist and edited several influential magazines, such as The Fortnightly Review and The Saturday Review. He was friends with many famous writers, such as Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. He also wrote novels, short stories and essays on various topics, such as politics, religion and philosophy. He died in France in 1931.