Inspired by Andria, a comedy by Terence, it was the third-best selling book in the United States in 1930.

The novel is set on the fictional Greek island of Brynos in the pre-Christian era, probably around 200 B.C.

(i.e., in the decline of Greece's golden age though the novel does not give an explicit date)[1][2] The book examines conflicts between Christian and pre-Christian morality.

[3] This was the first time that Wilder's work received any significant negative critical response.

Mike Gold's review in The New Republic faulted Wilder for not addressing modern social issues.