References to Emile Notre-Dame’s habitual newspaper and its illustrations were inspired by numerous issues of Le Petit Journal, published in Paris, on Sundays, between 1890 and 1944.
The article Emile does not read concerning the Seine floods in January 1919 was adapted from an eyewitness account given by H. Warner Allen and reprinted in The World’s Great Events, published by P. F. Collier & Son in 1950.
Various images in this novel owe a creative debt to the photography of Robert Doisneau (1912–1994) and Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004).
WITH THANKS TO
Laura Barber and Martha Kanya-Forstner. For their hands-across-the-sea madness in taking this novel to heart, their perseverance in the face of lengthening odds that it would ever be delivered, and for their editorial wisdom, grace, and generosity throughout.
Suzanne Brandreth. Tireless guardian, champion and voice of reason.
Shaun Oakey. For his meticulous smoothing of the language and the history. Allyson Latta, for her own editorial fine-toothed comb. Any remaining errors are the author’s alone.
Kelly Hill, Terri Nimmo, Erin Cooper, and Carla Kean. For continuing to design, typeset, and produce books of the highest standard.
The houses of Doubleday Canada and Portobello Books (UK). Their support remains steadfast if still somewhat baffling.
And Rebecca Richardson. For listening to the idea that became this novel while lunching en plein air in front of Chartres Cathedral. For reading and rereading and rereading and rereading. For suggesting the fire. As ever, TMD.
The Emperor of Paris Page 16