Joseph William Sharts (September 14, 1875 – May 15, 1965) was an American attorney, political activist, newspaper editor, and novelist. Sharts is best remembered as a popular novelist of the first two decades of the 20th century and as a defense attorney in a number of high-profile political trials, including cases involving Socialist Party of America leader Eugene V. Debs, future Workers (Communist) Party leader C. E. Ruthenberg, and radical clergyman William Montgomery Brown. Sharts was a top leader of the Socialist Party of America, sitting on that group's governing National Executive Committee from 1925 to 1932. He was three times the Socialist candidate for Governor of Ohio.

Wonder whether the book's actually good. And whether there's some specifically intended political meaning? The blurbs I could find online seems to say that it's historical fiction about the Bar Kokhba revolt, but not sure what statements (if any?) about history/contemporary politics it's trying to make.