May Sarton (1912-1995) was an acclaimed poet, novelist, and memoirist.

"Miss Sarton is particularly adept at presenting intelligent women intelligently: Joanna is a fine addition to her gallery of portraits. She is famous, too, for catching the flavor of background, and she gives us the fresh, gull-white, wind-bright bravery of the Greek islands indelibly. She is an aristocrat whose patent is clarity of mind."