France: A Short History

France: A Short History
Author: Jeremy Black
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2021-06-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 050077644X

Artists, martyrs, kings, revolutionaries: Frances sense of national identity is inextricably linked to its dramatic history, which fascinates the world and attracts millions each year to visit its chateaux and cathedrals, boulevards and vineyards. Ancient roots allied to a social, political and military history that has witnessed revolution, conflict and occupation mean that France holds a unique position in the modern world. In this short, easy-to-digest history of a vast subject, Jeremy Black succinctly narrates how Frances past has created its distinct character. Country and destination, nation and idea, France has an incomparable cultural legacy, and exerts a powerful artistic, intellectual and political influence across the globe. Blacks vivid take on history emphasizes the unexpected nature of events and unpredictable outcomes on a fragmented country, from the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux to the origins of Gothic architecture, from Monet and Degas to the Lumière brothers, and from the cataclysm of the 1789 Revolution through the countercultural student protests of 1968 to todays gilets jaunes. Blacks concise, insightful tour of the key historical moments and vibrant personalities that shaped France provides an indispensable guide to understanding the country today.

A Brief History of France, Revised and Updated

A Brief History of France, Revised and Updated
Author: Cecil Jenkins
Publisher: Robinson
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2017-07-13
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472140273

When we think of France, we tend think of fine food and wine, the elegant boulevards of Paris or the chic beaches of St Tropez. Yet, as the largest country in Europe, France is home to extraordinary diversity. The idea of 'Frenchness' emerged through 2,000 years of history and it is this riveting story, from the Roman conquest of Gaul to the present day, that Cecil Jenkins tells: of the forging of this great nation through its significant people and events and and its fascinating culture. As he unfolds this narrative, Jenkins shows why the French began to see themselves as so different from the rest of Europe, but also why, today, the French face the same problems with regard to identity as so many other European nations.

A Short History of the French Revolution (Subscription)

A Short History of the French Revolution (Subscription)
Author: Jeremy D. Popkin
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 155
Release: 2016-07-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1315508923

This book attempts to introduce students to the major events that make up the story of the French Revolution and to the different ways in which historians have interpreted them. It covers the relationship between France and the United States.

A Short History of French Literature

A Short History of French Literature
Author: Sarah Kay
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2006-01-12
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0191516228

This book traces the history of French literature from its beginnings to the present. Within its remarkably brief compass, it offers a wide-ranging, personal, and detailed account of major writers and movements. Developments in French literature are presented in an innovative way, not as an even sequence of literary events but as a series of stories told at varying pace and with different kinds of focus. Readers can thus take in the broad sweep of historical change, grasp the main characteristics of major periods, or enjoy a close appraisal of individual works and their contexts. The book is written in an accessible and non-technical style that will make it attractive to students and to all those who enjoy French Literature.

Revolutionary France

Revolutionary France
Author: Malcolm Crook
Publisher:
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2002
Genre: History
ISBN: 0198731876

In this volume, one of the first to look at 'Revolutionary France' as a whole, a team of leading international historians explore the major issues of politics and society, culture, economics, and overseas expansion during this vital period of French history.

A Short History of the French Revolution, 1789-1799

A Short History of the French Revolution, 1789-1799
Author: Albert Soboul
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 204
Release: 1977
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780520028555

A Marxist analysis of the causes and course of the French Revolution argues that it can be understood, on all levels, only in terms of class struggle.

A History of France

A History of France
Author: John Julius Norwich
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Total Pages: 493
Release: 2018-10-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 0802146708

An “engaging, enthusiastic, sympathetic, funny” journey through French history from the New York Times–bestselling author of Absolute Monarchs (The Wall Street Journal). Beginning with Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul in the first century BC, this study of French history comprises a cast of legendary characters―Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Marie Antoinette, to name a few―as John Julius Norwich chronicles France’s often violent, always fascinating history. From the French Revolution―after which neither France nor the world would be the same again―to the storming of the Bastille, from the Vichy regime and the Resistance to the end of the Second World War, A History of France is packed with heroes and villains, battles and rebellion—written with both an expert command of detail and a lively appreciation for the subject matter by this “true master of narrative history” (Simon Sebag Montefiore).

A Concise History of France

A Concise History of France
Author: Roger Price
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 408
Release: 1993-01-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780521368094

This book provides a clear and well-informed guide to French history from the early middle ages, with the emergence of a strong state in the Ile-de-France, to the trente glorieuses following the Second World War and including the Mitterand presidency. It provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive study of French history available. Among the book's central themes are the relationship between state and society, the impact of war and such crucial questions as who possessed political power, how this power was used, and in whose interests and with what consequences. It takes account of the great figures of French history, including Philip Augustus, Henri IV, Louis XIV, the two Napoleons, Clemenceau and De Gaulle, and also the findings of modern social historians concerned with the life and death of ordinary people, the passing of generations, social structures, beliefs, and economic activity. This is a rich and entertaining guide to France for the student and general reader.

La Belle France

La Belle France
Author: Alistair Horne
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 521
Release: 2007-12-18
Genre: History
ISBN: 030742653X

"A useful and charming introduction to a nation that has oh-so-definitely helped make the modern world what it is... Horne does a service in helping the reading navigate the complexities of French history." —Los Angeles Times From the aclaimed British historian and author of Seven Ages of Paris comes a sweeping, grand narrative written with all the verve, erudition, and vividness that are his hallmarks. It recounts the hugely absorbing story of the country that has contributed to the world so much talent, style, and political innovation. Beginning with Julius Caesar’s division of Gaul into three parts, Horne leads us through the ages from Charlemagne to Chirac, touring battlefields from the Hundred Years’ War to Indochina and Algeria, and giving us luminous portraits of the nation’s leaders, philosophers, writers, artists, and composers. This is a captivating, beautifully illustrated, and comprehensive yet concise history of France.

A Brief History of the Hundred Years War

A Brief History of the Hundred Years War
Author: Desmond Seward
Publisher: Robinson
Total Pages: 223
Release: 2013-07-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472112202

For over a hundred years England repeatedly invaded France on the pretext that her kings had a right to the French throne. France was a large, unwieldy kingdom, England was small and poor, but for the most part she dominated the war, sacking towns and castles and winning battles - including such glorious victories as Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt, but then the English run of success began to fail, and in four short years she lost Normandy and finally her last stronghold in Guyenne. The protagonists of the Hundred Year War are among the most colourful in European history: for the English, Edward III, the Black Prince and Henry V, later immortalized by Shakespeare; for the French, the splendid but inept John II, who died a prisoner in London, Charles V, who very nearly overcame England and the enigmatic Charles VII, who did at last drive the English out.