From John Julius Norwich’s preface to his History of France:
Looking back on those days [in post-war Paris when my father was ambassador], I have only one regret: I was two or three years too young. I was, I think, moderately precocious for my age, but all these celebrities were only names to me; I called Jean Cocteau Jean and mixed him dry martinis, but I had never read a word he had written. Had I been eighteen in 1944 instead of fifteen I would have known – and learnt – so much more. But there: no complaints. I was lucky to have been there at all.
Extracts 