 In 1960 he wrote "Sylva", a novel about a fox who turns into a woman, inspired by David Garnett's novel "Lady into Fox" (1922).The English-language version, translated by his wife Rita Barisse, was a finalist for the 1963 Hugo Award for Best Novel.His historical novel "Anne Boleyn" (1985) presents a very intelligent Anne as having determinedly set about marrying Henry VIII of England in order to separate England from Papal power and strengthen England's independence.