Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton, FRSL (; born 20 December 1969) is a Swiss-born British philosopher and author. His books discuss various contemporary subjects and themes, emphasizing philosophy's relevance to everyday life. He published "Essays in Love" (1993), which went on to sell two million copies. Other bestsellers include "How Proust Can Change Your Life" (1997), "Status Anxiety" (2004) and "The Architecture of Happiness" (2006).
Claude Paillat
Paillat was a journalist who became a best-selling historian. His most significant work is his eight-volume Dossiers secrets de la France contemporaine, a series that covers the span of French history from the conclusion of the First World War to the end of the Second. He also published a two-volume study of the Algerian War; a monograph on the French defeat in Indochina, as well as one on the last turbulent year of Charles de Gaulle's presidency; and a two part history of the Catholic Church in France.