Arwanda Copenhagen von Hubenstein was born in 1915 to two wealthy German parents. From a young age, she showed a remarkable talent for creating ingenious but completely useless inventions (for example, a pencil that erases itself as you write, and socks that double as a toothbrush and toothpaste). When her brother Nigel was adopted, eleven-year-old Arwanda found him to be a dense but willing test subject and loyal assistant in her endeavours. When the economic crisis of the 1930’s began (yes, it did affect more than just America), the von Hubensteins sold their children to a French bed-and-breakfast in order to maintain their own extravagant lifestyle. Here we find the two children eking out a living cooking and cleaning night and day, and spending every moment of their free time trying to create something marketable to get out of that hellhole and live on their own.