The novel is about the Kaufmann family, spanning three generations between 1858 and 1976. Peter Kaufmann emigrated to South Africa from Germany and became a renowned wainwright. He was also involved in the construction of the first railway line between Cape Town and Pretoria. His son, Willy, became a politician and was later appointed high commissioner in London. For many people Arabia holds something strange, something mystical. OPEC imposed a worldwide oil embargo in 1973 that affected South Africa as it did most other countries. South Africa was running low on oil reserves and urgently needed a lifeline After the lifting of the embargo the following year, the South African government entered into negotiations with one of the Arab oil-producing countries for assistance and proposed the delivery of crude oil in exchange for gold. Behind the scenes in London, the South African embassy played a low-key role, and Willy Kaufmann's grandson, Gunther, who served a stint as a diplomat at the time at the embassy, was also involved. However, an unfortunate incident that shocked the Arab world prevented the proposal from coming to fruition