Lessons in French: A Novel
Page 33
I would like to thank Joanna Hershon for having the courage of her convictions and giving me the best of all possible insights. Your intelligence is generous and radiant, and I owe you everything.
Gretchen Crary, basking in the fierceness of your loyalty is one of the greatest pleasures of being published. Thank you, “smart woman.”
I am ever grateful to my Proust group, Ann Brashares, Dave Gilbert and Amor Towles for the adventures in reading and rereading. You are my Sonate de Vinteuil.
My original female bonders, Kelli Block, Sarah Burnes, Nancy Donahoe, Kimbrough Towles, Maggie Towles, Stephanie Vogel and Fiona Watt, you are my memory bank and the light of my life.
Kimbrough, you have been running by my side inspiring me to write forever.
Sarah, you have been my loyal sounding board.
Elizabeth Bogner, Jasie Britton, Hilary Garland, Claudia Grazioso, Julia and Jon Hall, Hannah Nordhaus, Coralie Hunter, Katherine and Joeri Jacobs, Maggie Parker, Caroline and François Reyl, Gary Shapiro, and Amy Zilliax, you are the book’s earliest and most constant and creative friends. It loves you back.
Julia, I treasure your cover.
Joeri, you were right about Kate.
Thanks to those of you who have gone out of your way to show support and enthusiasm for the book: Beret Arcaya, Alain and Micheline Barthe, Carl Blumstein, Stephanie Cabot, Elka, Nick, and Susan Cloke, Joan Cohen, Alex Coulter, Kimberly Cowser, Dee Dee DeBartlo, Stephanie Douglass, Monique El Faizy, Charlie and Ellie Garland, Susie Gilbert, John Gill, Latifa Haimani, Lynne Hamilton, Kali Handelman, Sebastian Heath, Astrid Herbette, Mary Herms, Paola Iacucci, Lindita Iasilli, Olivia and Daniele Jungling, Anita Kawatra, Marthe Keller, Ben Lieberman, George Loening, Dale Loy, Stephen McCauley, Paula McLain, Linda Marini, Seema Merchant, Erin O’Conner, Brian O’Neill, Maureen O’Neill, Maureen O’Sullivan, Kirsten O’Reilly, Karen Palmer, Chris Parris-Lamb, Stéphane and Véronique Perichon, Janet Perlman, Johanna Povirk-Znoy, Eldine and Dominique Reyl, Victoria Rowan, Gretchen Rubin, Rachel Scher, Andrea Scarf, Liesl Schillinger, Shannon Thyne, Maria Tucci, Klara Vogel, Jessee and Lena Wolff, and Father Ambrose Wolverton.
Stéphanie Abou, I could not have dreamed up a more brilliant, passionate or dynamic agent. You are the book’s champion, a fabulous editor and friend, and my hero.
Thank you to Anjali Singh, my delightful and deeply sensitive editor, who has shed boundless intelligence on this novel. Your clarity and sense of proportion have brought it to life.
I so appreciate the tireless and ever-positive team at Simon & Schuster, Millicent Bennett, Nina Pajak and Anne Tate, Michele Bové and Sarah Nalle, Gypsy da Silva and Fred Wiemer. Your energy is palpable and sustaining.
Katie Espiner, at HarperCollins in London, you are a joy. Thank you for bringing your warmth to bear on this book and for always letting me know how much you believe in it.
I am grateful to Renate Liesker and Tanja Hendriks at Artemis in Amsterdam, to Caspian Dennis at the Abner Stern Agency in London, and to the editors in various parts of the world who have given the book wings.
My French “family,” Bernadette and Michel Perichon, Alison and Jim Clayson, Christine Coenon and Jean-Luc André, you are my French roots.
I would like to thank my family. My sister, Eleanor O’Neill, is the world’s best proofreader and my soulmate and biggest fan. I’m your biggest fan too, always. My mother, Harriet Whelan, who might be more excited about this book than I am, your optimism is my lifeline. My father, Tim Whelan, is still whispering to me to “write it all down.” He is smiling up from every word.
My bright and beautiful daughters, Ella, Margaux and Iris, you are brimming with wonderful ideas. Thank you for your sense of humor and your crazy enthusiasm. I adore you.
And finally, Charles Reyl, my love. This book is for you. You have never had a shadow of a doubt.
about the author
Hilary Reyl has a Ph.D. in French literature from NYU with a focus on the nineteenth century, and has spent several years working and studying in France. She lives in New York City with her family. This is her first novel.
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Copyright © 2013 by Hilary Reyl
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Designed by Esther Paradelo
Jacket design by Gabrielle Wilson
Jacket photography by Johner Images/Wildcard Images UK
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reyl, Hilary.
Lessons in French / Hilary Reyl.
p. cm.
1. Americans—France—Paris—Fiction. 2. Women college graduates—
Employment—Fiction. 3. Women photographers—Fiction. 4. Psychological fiction. 5. Domestic fiction. I. Title.
PS 3618.E947L47 2013
813'.6—dc22 2011045815
ISBN 978-1-4516-5503-2
ISBN 978-1-4516-5504-9 (ebook)
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