An exuberant, entertaining book for all lovers of France — especially women who cling to romantic illusions, and men who wish they could inspire them. In seventy-two vividly-observed vignettes, profiles and mini-essays, PARIS PASSIONS analyzes France’s public and private lives with sharp eye, sharp tongue and sharp sense of humor. Along the way it conveys an intimate feel for everyday life, with its struggles and strains both financial and multicultural. It’s a quick immersion in French politics, history, culture, economics — and the psychology of a people grappling with old demons and new hopes.