Only a thin thread separates History from myth. We hide in the lustful chambers of harems, travel to the camps of the Danube gypsies, live in the pulse of imperial Vienna. Venetian palaces and Phanariot mansions pass before our eyes. The shipping and commercial interests of the Greeks of Trieste become our own, we are fascinated by the corsairs and fire-raisers of the Aegean. The central figure of the past is a genuine Greek woman, a charming lady and an unparalleled lady. She enchants us, captivates us, and often entertains us. Her struggles, sacrifices, and loves become our own. We may learn her romantic secrets, but at the same time, the events constitute drops of humanity and strength in the ocean of History. [Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]