"Mazo de la Roche was one of the most successful and prolific women writers of the 20th century. Her novel Jalna, the dramatic story of a family dynasty, skyrocketed her to international fame and fortune in 1927. By the time she died, 11 million copies of her book had been sold in 93 languages; she remains one of this country's bestselling authors to date. Despite her great fame, her private life was indeed a mystery, for de la Roche was a fabulist in the grandest sense: she and her lifelong companion, Caroline Clement - Mazo's "adopted sister, " cousin and muse - constructed public personas that protected their own very hidden lives. Since her death in 1961, de la Roche has become a figure of fascination and speculation for subsequent generations of readers around the world."--Container.