The unique, delightful illustrator and author George du Maurier was the grandson of a French citizen, Robert Matherin Busson, who upon moving to England from France, adopted the surname "du Maurier" for its aristocratic sound. George du Maurier possessed English citizenship, but was bilingual in French and English, born in Paris in 1834. He is also known as the grandfather of novelist Daphne du Maurier, author of Rebecca and the short story that inspired Alfred Hitchcock"s film "The Birds." Du Maurier"s second novel, Trilby, published in 1894, was a sensation -- introducing the vaguely-sinister character Svengali, and inspiring the plots of numerous later works, including The Phantom of the Opera. Despite having lost the sight in one eye as a younger man, du Maurier enjoyed a lifelong career as a popular illustrator, most notably for Punch. His final novel, published posthumously in 1897, was The Martian. At first, The Martian takes the form of a biography of fictional novelist Barty Josselin, as told by his friend, politician Robert Maurice. In a parallel to du Maurier"s own life, Barty Josselin is blind in one eye. Barty"s life story reaches a low ebb when he attempts suicide, which introduces Martia, the Martian, into his and the reader"s consciousness. Martia has been reincarnated many times on Mars, and she informs Barty that she has selected him and a future wife that she has selected for him to be her earth-based parents. Barty does not wish to marry the aristocratic young woman that Martia has selected, instead choosing the worthy, but less-aristocratic Leah. Their family life comprises the rest of the story, and the meditations upon life after death and the future that du Maurier envisioned for both Martians and earthbound souls.