Away from England's political unrest and the harsh realities of the General Strike, life in Italy's Casa Terragena seemed positively balmy. Nothing like a little sun to see the best in life. Yet for Cynthia Rylands, this simply wasn't enough - she would never be satisfied until she had found the answers to her most perplexing questions. Turning to her companions for some erudition and guidance, she unearths a host of enlightened and downright entertaining worldviews. For in her companions are some of H G Wells most sublime creations.