Basil Guy is Professor Emeritus of French, University of California, Berkeley. A decorated World War II veteran, he is the author of several books and editions, including an outstanding translation of Charles-Joseph de Ligne Coup d'oeil sur Beloeil (University of California Press, 1986). His work reflects a wide variety of academic interests, ranging from Voltaire and Rousseau to art history and the literature of gardens, to European perceptions of China in the 18th century. He has directed and participated in directing numerous theses and dissertations in French, history, and art history at the University of California, Berkeley. He has forged enduring academic and intellectual friendships across both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. His former students teach at universities across the United States.