v. 1. Ambition, love and politics. Introduction -- Part I -- The pretensions of the bourgeoisie -- Doctors -- Notaries -- The rich -- Industrialists -- Bankers -- The ambitions of ordinary men -- Bureaucrats -- Peasants -- Workers -- Part II -- Marriage and morals -- Children -- Women -- Part III -- The place of politics in life -- Kings and aristocrats -- The genius in politics -- Republicanism -- Bonapartism -- The politicians of the Third Republic -- Opportunism -- Solidarism -- Radicalism -- Socialism --
v. 2. Intellect, taste, and anxiety. Part I -- The national identity -- Provincials -- Attitudes to foreigners -- Education and hope -- Logic and verbalism -- Privilege and culture -- Universities -- Part II -- Good and bad taste -- Conformity and superstition -- Fashion and beauty -- Newspapers and corruption -- Science and comfort -- Happiness and humour -- Eating and drinking -- Part III -- Private lives -- Individualism and the emotions -- Worry, boredom and hysteria -- Hierarchy and violence -- Birth and death -- Religion and anticlericalism -- Technocracy -- Gerontocracy -- Hypocrisy -- Conclusion