In the course of fund-raising for civilian victims of World War I, Edith Wharton assembled this monumental benefit volume by drawing upon her connections to the era's leading authors and artists. The unique compilation forms a ""Who's Who"" of early 20th century culture, featuring poetry, stories, illustrations, and other contributions from scores of luminaries: Henry James, Jean Cocteau, Thomas Hardy, Claude Monet, Joseph Conrad, John Singer Sargent, George Santayana, W. B. Yeats, and many others. Much of the text is presented in both English and French. Includes an Introduction by former U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt.