“Let me begin by acknowledging my most important teammate, Paul Golob, editor extraordinaire. It is part of the writer’s DNA to harbor a healthy suspicion (if not outright disdain) for that mercurial species known as ‘editor,’ but Paul, who also edited my previous book, was once again an indispensable asset. His diligence, thoughtfulness, fairness, and impeccable judgment are reflected on every page. I thank him for his strong guidance, his gentle touch, and most of all, his enduring friendship.”

“Paul Golob made this book a reality, with keen intelligence and critical support at every step. Having worked with Paul on another book a decade ago, I understood his amazing skills—his seemingly bottomless font of general knowledge, and his swift and sure way with a pencil. It was, nevertheless, a pleasure to be reminded what a haimish guy he is, the Steve Allen of editors. He makes hard work feel fun, and he has my enduring gratitude.”

“I’m fortunate, for the third time, to have written a short book on a tight deadline with the help of Paul Golob, a great editor and good friend. Paul conceived of this book as a series of conversations organized around common themes and sharpened it, as always, with his deft trimming, keen requests for clarifications, and kindly but firm deadline enforcement. Working with him again was sheer delight.”

“I would like to thank my extraordinary editor, Paul Golob. We didn’t always agree about the route to follow on this trip. We hit a few rocks in the road, made a few detours, and broke the speed limit repeatedly in the final weeks. But when we finally reached the destination, it was far, far above any elevation I could have reached on my own. And somehow, Paul got us there with most of my original luggage intact—just more neatly, attractively, and logically packed. When I felt I was driving blind, Paul kept us on course. I could not have reached this destination without his help.”

“The idea for this book began with a lecture I gave at the New York Public Library entitled ‘Seduction à la française.” Paul Golob, who years before had edited my book on Iran, came up to me afterward. ‘Elaine,’ he said, ‘this is your next book.’ So I must thank Paul, who once again became my editor. He spotted the makings of a book in what was originally conceived as a diverting forty-minute talk and helped shape it into form. His deep knowledge of France and things French added a layer of complexity to the text. His editing and reediting improved and refined it.”

“Paul Golob, my extraordinary editor, worked with me every day to push me past my boundaries and helped me accomplish something I didn’t believe I was capable of achieving. He remained a patient guide at every step of this process, and I would stand on a desk for him without hesitation.”