Coleen McCullough's debut novel, created by her during her research and teaching work at Yale Medical School at the famous university. The novel, followed by The Thorn Birds and the transition of thirty-seven-year-old McCullough from a scientific career to a literary one. The story of middle-aged and lonely Mary Horton, who had long been accustomed to a quiet life for herself, but one day she met the young man Tim. A young man, as beautiful as a Greek god, but not superior in intelligence to a naive child... Days of communication turn into weeks, and the further, the stronger becomes the connection of a strange but deep mutual understanding between an intelligent, well-educated woman and her “special” young friend, in his own way no less valuable than the “normal” people who pitied him with a condescending grin. A young man who taught her not to be afraid of anything and just enjoy every new day. But the friendship between Mary and Tim grew into love, and public morality was no longer ready to accept this. And even more so, it was not going to forgive...