I am deeply indebted to Robert Silvers, the editor of The New York Review of Books, for his invaluable ideas and probing question that greatly facilitated my investigation. I also wish to thank Renata Adler, Natalie Altshuler, Sid Blumenthal, Susana Duncan, Ben Gerson, Harold Edgar, Emily Greenhouse, Rea Hederman, Magui Nougue-Sans, Marine Pradel, Fabrice Rousselot, and Michael Wolff for their comments, suggestions, and other assistance. Finally, I am also grateful to Kelly Burdick of Melville House for his brilliant work in editing this book.