The Secret of the Seine is a rich and quirky travelogue that guides its reader through the history and the heart of France. Mort Rosenblum, world-weary foreign correspondent, takes us aboard his 54-foot launch made of Burmese teak and brass, tied up alongside the barges in the center of Paris. He introduces us to the characters who share his life along the river, ranging from eccentric movie stars and reclusive novelists to the barge families still trying to earn a living moving freight through the canals of Europe. He then hauls in the bow line for an unforgettable tour of the river itself from its source to its mouth. Along the way his focus shifts from the art of navigation to the art of wooden boats to the art of Monet. But above all, The Secret Life of the Seine is about pleasure, a love story between man and boat and the river they live on, a discourse on the sensual beauty of France and the art of living well. Read Less