History, ancient, from thousand years ago versus today - comparisons, analogies; they may be shocking at times. The question what would be the life of Jean Paul Sartre and Simmon de Beauvoir (author chooses the two for his exemplification because of who they were and how they lived in France of their own time). Reporting and comparing is Columbia University professor, Jim, who also plays the role of the Lithmus Paper in this literary lab: how he changes ilustrates the changes in the world around him; all of which is supported and contrasts brought about all the way to the bottom by other characters - by no means lesser ones. The book shows that the question, seemingly trivial at first, then, later into the journey, might suddenly get us to Guantanamo Bay Gulag...