A story of the advertising business, of the perversion of talent and idealism for money, which is perhaps earnest but is in no way comparable to The Enchsters. Although there is a coincidental parallel between the two not only in subject- but also in some of the sequences, the resemblance stops there largely due to the fact that Wakeman can write, and write very well, and Arkady Leokum is a very dull second. This is the story of Gene Winter, who at 22 gives up college to go and live with an older school teacher, Maggie, who keeps him, advises him in his writing- for which he has a talent- until he leaves Maggie and is forced to get a job. He breaks into advertising, works his way up until he hits the big money, marries Frieda- who is young, innocent and devoted, and who tries to turn him back to writing. Gene tries to write a novel- and fails, goes back to advertising, and with Frieda pregnant with a child he does not want, becomes alienated even from her. Frieda dies, and Gene realizes he's lost his self respect and happiness as well, makes a new start by enlisting in the army. A certain authenticity here, if none of it very appealing.