'The scum of Greenwich Village, New York, has been skimmed off and deposited in large ladled on that section of Paris adjacent to the Cafe Rotonde. New scum, of course, has risen to take the place of the old, but the oldest scum, the thickest scum and the scummiest scum has come across the ocean, somehow, and with its afternoon and evening levees has made the Rotonde the leading Latin Quarter showplace for tourists in search of atmosphere.'

Written for The Toronto Star between 1920 and 1924, this selection of energetic pieces from Hemingway sees the author focus his gaze on Paris. Writing with characteristic verve, the author tackles such topics as 'Living on $1,000 a year in Paris', 'American bohemians in Paris' and 'Parisian boorishness'.