"A scowling grey universe relieved by pastry: This was my first impression of Paris, and of them all, it was not the farthest from the truth." The Winter Circus—Paris to the Moon, pages 5-6.

"But even if our apartment building had been officially declared the epicenter of the bombing campaign, I don't think I'd move. Terrorism is part of life, while a nice apartment in Paris is a miracle." The Winter Circus—Private Domain, page 20.

"Things got so bad that Juppé had to submit to a humiliation that the French had previously considered fit only for American politicians. He had to go on television and answer questions from reporters." The Winter Circus—Private Domain, page 24.

"What an old place France is, the attic bursting with old caned chairs and zinc bars and peeling dressers and varnished settees. The feeling is totally different from an...