This first-rate, "page-turning" novel unfolds when the protagonist, Paul Stevens, attempts to take over the giant corporation that he is chief financial executive of by boldly initiating a proxy contest against its incumbent management. This plot teems with high adventure, political intrigue, and the avariciousness that the machinations of Wall Street and lust for power consume him with prior to committing this actand the havoc he's encumbered with after its execution. The idea for this story evolved from two phrases: one, "Sorrow is the seed of holiness," formulated by a now-deceased cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and the other, "It is in defeat that we become Christian," coined by Hemingway in his novel, A Farewell to Arms. Thus, this story, with its pathos, comedic moments, as well as high adventure, gives the reader a panoramic view of the American scene and the Machiavellian schemes that its work ethic spawn and is much more than just another narrative about big business or the good and evil that vie within all of us because, besides that, it has a compelling message for everyone living in today's anxious world.