Originally published in 1961, this shrewd, smartly written novel follows two American men traveling in Europe. Though both have struck out for the same continent, each man’s methods of and motives for travel lead him to have a very different experience. Underlying it all is the premise that
Europe
can be a refiner’s fire, deeply affecting a person’s character.
Europe
represents a crucial step in Stern’s development as a writer and stands as a witty, sharp point of entry into his writings.