The locusts have no king

the long version

In this classic satire by the writer Gore Vidal once called "our best comic novelist," Dawn Powell takes on the New York publishing world and dissects it "with the patience of a pathologist removing organs for inspection." Frederick Olliver, obscure historian and writer, is having an affair with the restively married, beautiful, and hugely successful playwright, Lyle Gaynor. Powell sets in motion a see-saw as Olliver's new book becomes a surprising success just as Lyle's Broadway career comes unraveled.