I WISH TO THANK ALL the people who were helpful to me: To Rosamond Bernier, who, during her tenure as a lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was so generous with her anecdotes and research about Picasso and Matisse when I interviewed her for a newspaper story. I also thank the Pelham Arts Center, who introduced me to collectors and critics of twentieth-century art when I worked on their publicity. And I will always be grateful to the painter Alexander Rutsch, friend of Picasso, who made me his Girl-at-a-Window in his sketches during our train commute together.
I’d like to thank all my friends in France, especially Jean-Jacques Poulet and Giuseppe Cosmai. And Christophe Prosper, and Michelin-starred chefs Didier Aniès and David Chauvac for teaching me about Provençal cuisine. Also, I thank all the people at the Musée Picasso (Château Grimaldi) in Antibes for their kind consideration.
I give many thanks to Ruth G. Koizim, senior lector and language program director in French at Yale University. And to the researchers at the French Institute Alliance Française in Manhattan, particularly Yann Carmona. I thank Brandon Collura of the Lauderdale Yacht Club for his thoughts on all things nautical. And I appreciate Jaime Gant Dittus and Elizabeth Corradino for their wise counsel.
At Writers House, my fond thanks to Susan Golomb for her warmth, understanding and advice; and all her colleagues, especially the generous Amy Berkower, and also Genevieve Gagne-Hawes, Maja Nikolic and Scott Cohen.
At Random House, special thanks to Gina Centrello and Jennifer Hershey for their early and continued support. And how can I ever thank Susanna Porter, for her unstinting encouragement, intuitive wisdom, her patience and sense of humor and her fine, sensitive editing. Thanks also to Kim Hovey, Mark Tavani, Libby McGuire, Sheila Kay, Susan Corcoran, Melanie DeNardo, Robbin Schiff, Kathy Lord, and Priyanka Krishnan.
My very special thanks to Margaret Atwood, for the years of advice, encouragement, friendship, tea and “wilderness tips”. Finally, all my love and gratitude to my husband, Ray, for his never-failing faith, editorial advice, intelligence and on-the-road camaraderie as we trawl the far corners of France together in search of good stories, good swimming and good food.