 When the cannons are silent, the muses are heard.” 

The book opens with the cast, directors, support personnel and Mrs. Ira Gershwin waiting in West Berlin for their visas to be returned by the Russian Embassy.They are briefed by U.S. Embassy staff, and among other questions, ask if they will be under surveillance, presumably by the KGB, during their visit.They also consider political issues and how to answer sensitive questions, especially those about the “Negro situation” – also whether it is safe to drink the water