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It was a glamorous introduction to journalism in the City of Light.
Then, her beat changed overnight.
But Sciolino was game.
Armed with charm, persistence, and chutzpah, she became the first womanand first Americanto interview the ayatollah.
Sciolino with theMona Lisa.
When the revolution erupted in Tehran,Newsweekchose her to board Khomeinis chartered flight back to Iran.
), Sciolinos was that rare book written by an American that French people could read to understand themselves.
It was frantic, operator-style work that left little room for small talkbut Sciolino always made time to chat.
She was part mentor, part confidante, and part matchmaker, regularly inquiring about my dating prospects.
An edited transcript of our conversation follows.
Vogue: Ive spent some time with you in Paris, and I often hear you use the wordpartage.
Even though Guy is considered by some to be the greatest chef in the world, hes incredibly down-to-earth.
One of his signature dishes, perhapsthesignature dish, is an artichoke soup with truffles and butter brioche.
Before we ate the soup we looked at Chardinspainting of a brioche.
And Guy said, That brioche is burnt!
But it sparked a beautiful exchange between the two of them.
Guy isnt an art expert and Sebastien isnt a foodie, yet they connected over this painting.
Thatspartage,the ability to create common ground.
That, to me, is the key to journalism, and its the key to life.
And those shared moments of discovery connected to art happen over and over again in this book.
Was that your intention when you set out?
I mean, if you could believe it, I just got lost in the Louvre the other day.
Its a frustrating place.
And a frustrating place to give a shot to report on.
My understanding is that the museum did not exactly welcome you with open arms.
The Louvre was the most bureaucratic, toughest institution I have ever faced in France.
It banned all officials from talking to me unless they had received prior authorization.
They also made sure a designated personmy Louvre minderwould follow me around the museum.
Im somebody who had the cell phone number of the head of the DGSE, the French CIA.
Ive interviewed four French presidents and this is what I faced in the Louvre.
I had friends saying to me, Drop the project.
Its truly magical if you manage to get in.
You choose original works you want to see, hold them up close in this quiet, library-like space.
Its a totally different Louvre that almost no one knows about.
What do you think about that?
Sciolino with theMona Lisa.
Oh, youve got to get that painting out of that room!
First of all, shes got the wrong neighbors.
And some of them arehuge.
It just doesnt match up.
She cant really talk to it.
You spent a lot of time talking to curators, who obviously have incredible levels of expertise.
Sometimes their enthusiasm is contagious, other times a little amusing.
Just imagine being the guy whos in charge of Greek antiquities.
Hes got all these drawers filled with pieces.
Its an extraordinary story.
TheMona Lisais obviously the most famous portrait in the Louvre, but its far from your favorite.
Can you tell me about a painting that you prefer?
And hes just beautiful.
But for me, hes a littletoo pretty.
I think that people have this idea of museum-going as only about the interaction between you and the works.
How do you think somebody whos visiting the Louvre can take some of that spirit ofpartageinto their visit?
Its funny because I was thinking about this the other day.
This Louvre is now open on Wednesday nights and Friday nights, and its got a much younger crowd.
If I were on the dating market today, Id go to the Louvre then.
Well, you have to summon the courage to strike up a conversation.
Im not sure Id feel comfortable intruding on someone elses experience.
No, Im gonna stop you right there.
And then just say hi.
One thing Ive always admired is how comfortable you are just being yourself.
Obviously, youre culturally and linguistically fluent, yet you dont make a run at blend in completely.
Youre not ashamed of your American accent.
Youre quick to talk about growing up in Buffalo and your Sicilian roots.
I think that opens doors and invites conversation in ways a quiet, fly-on-the-wall approach wouldnt.
Was this something you developed over your career?
I learned very early in journalism that you have to be yourselfits the only way to connect.
When I started as a national correspondent forNewsweekin Chicago, I had to interview wheat farmers in South Dakota.
Thats always been my approach, especially abroad: build a connection.
Ive always stayed true to that, openly being myself, comfortable as an outsider but determined to connect.
Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the Worlds Greatest Museum
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