Modern French History

The Fifth Republic of France is one of the most dramatic political experiments in modern history—and it’s still unfolding today. Born in 1958 from crisis and fear of collapse, Charles de Gaulle’s “Fifth Republic” has survived student uprisings, terrorist attacks, corruption scandals, populist revolts, and the fury of millions marching in the streets. Against all odds, it has outlived every French regime since the Revolution of 1789. In this gripping, cinematic history, The Fifth Republic: France’s Unfinished Revolution takes readers inside the battles that shaped modern France: ...

Vietnam: From Battlefield to Billion-Dollar Economy How did a nation ravaged by centuries of foreign rule and divided by a brutal war become one of the world’s fastest-growing economic powerhouses and a top US trade partner? For generations, Vietnam stood as a symbol of conflict, a Cold War flashpoint, a nation defined by occupation, division, and the devastating legacy of the Vietnam War. Today, it’s a story of triumphant transformation, a one-party communist state driving global capitalism. This book takes you on a journey through Vietnam’s tumultuous past to answer the central ...

A landmark new history of Syria—a country forged in conflict, cursed by civil war and dictatorship, and pivotal to the future of the Middle East “A masterful history of Syria that is both sweeping in scope and brimming with vivid detail...a riveting and insightful book.” —Wendy Pearlman...

Born in Blackness vitally reframes the story of medieval and emerging Africa, demonstrating how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West, and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals all grew out of Europe's dehumanizing engagement with the "dark" continent. In fact, French reveals, the first impetus for the Age of Discovery was not—as we are so often told, even today—Europe's yearning for ties with Asia, but rather its centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with legendarily rich Black societies in the heart of West Africa.

Paris, 1892. A bold dream of a canal connecting the oceans turns into one of the largest financial and political scandals in history. Ferdinand de Lesseps, hero of the Suez Canal, promised France a marvel of engineering—but behind the glamour, corruption, greed, and deception ran rampant. Ordinary families lost their life savings. Politicians were bribed. The nation’s trust in its leaders crumbled. The Panama Scandal reveals the dramatic rise and catastrophic fall of the French Panama Canal Company with vivid, page-turning detail. From financial schemes and propaganda campaigns to ...

Between the end of the Thirty Years' War and the Battle of Waterloo, Europe underwent an extraordinary transformation that saw five of the modern world's great revolutions - scientific, industrial, American, French, and romantic. In this much-admired addition to the monumental Penguin History of Europe series, Tim Blanning brilliantly investigates the forces that transformed Europe from a medieval society into a vigorous powerhouse of the modern world.

The Algerian War (1954–1962) was one of the last great struggles of decolonization — a brutal conflict that forever changed France and Algeria. Between November 1954 and July 1962, Algeria, then a French territory for over a century, became the scene of a fierce fight for independence. This war was not only a military confrontation, but also a political, ideological, and psychological battle that divided communities, mobilized millions, and drew the attention of the entire world. In The Algerian War: A Clear History for Intermediate and Advanced French Learners, historian Julien Peltier...

Step into the enchanting world of French pâtisserie—the delicate, colorful, and utterly irresistible art of pastry that has captivated the world for centuries. From the royal kitchens of Versailles to the bustling cafés of Paris, The Art of French Pâtisserie takes you on a journey through history, culture, and innovation. Discover how legendary chefs like Antonin Carême and Auguste Escoffier transformed desserts into masterpieces, how Sunday family rituals made pastry part of everyday life, and how French techniques continue to inspire chefs around the globe. Filled with fascinating ...

Sartre vs Camus: A Comparative Guide to Their Friendship, Philosophy, and Dramatic Break is a powerful and accessible examination of one of the most compelling intellectual relationships of the twentieth century. Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus shaped the modern understanding of freedom, justice, rebellion, and personal responsibility. Their friendship inspired some of the most influential works in literature and philosophy, and their eventual break became a defining moment in modern thought. This book offers readers a clear, engaging, and deeply human exploration of how two brilliant ...

It is an era that redefined history. As the 1790s began, a fragile America teetered on the brink of oblivion, Russia towered as a vast imperial power, and France plunged into revolution. But in contrast to the way conventional histories tell it, none of these remarkable events occurred in...

Jean Gabin was not a star—he was a standard. Before special effects, before method performance, before celebrity explained itself, there was Jean Gabin. A man who changed cinema not by excess, but by restraint. In Jean Gabin: Silence, Dignity, and the Birth of Modern Cinema, author Julien Peltier delivers a cinematic, deeply human biography of the actor who invented the modern screen antihero—and later became the moral backbone of French film. From the fog-shrouded fatalism of Le Quai des Brumes and Le Jour se lève, to his moral authority in Touchez pas au grisbi, Le Président, and ...

Power never needs to be illegal to be corrupt. It only needs silence. In 1979, a French newspaper revealed that President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing had accepted diamonds from African dictator Jean-Bedel Bokassa. There would be no trial. No conviction. No confession. But the damage was irreversible. The Diamonds Affair uncovers how a seemingly “customary gift” exposed a system where executive power operated beyond accountability—and how one scandal permanently weakened trust in the French Republic. Through gripping narrative and rigorous investigation, Evan Blackmoor traces: • How ...

A top historian offers a new history of Paris’s Belle Époque, the luminous age of the Eiffel Tower and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, but also of social unrest and violent clashes over what it meant to be French From the wrought ironwork of the Eiffel Tower to the flourishing art nouveau movement...

If you want to discover the captivating history of France, then get this audiobook. It includes three books: History of France, Charlemagne, and Notre-Dame de Paris.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Provence, 1970, a lively, dramatic account of the spectacular rise of French “nouvelle cuisine,” and the renegade chefs of the 1960s and 1970s who revolutionized modern cooking. In The Secret History of French Cooking, Luke Barr takes readers...

Discover the city behind the legend. From its mythic origins along the Seine to the vibrant streets of the 21st century, Paris: Lives, Revolutions, and Resilience is the definitive history of the world’s most iconic city — told through the eyes of the people who lived it. Explore: • The myth, archaeology, and legends of early Paris. • The revolutions and uprisings that reshaped Europe. • The rise and fall of kings, emperors, and political powers. • The everyday lives of Parisians, from the Medieval period to the modern metropolis. • The cultural and intellectual innovations ...

Embark on a journey through time with this remarkable 4-in-1 bundle, carefully curated to offer you an in-depth look at the history of France from ancient Gaul to the modern era. Immerse yourself in the tales of powerful kings and queens, the birth of a nation, and the incredible transformations that have made France the country it is today.

Discover the “convincingly researched and thoroughly entertaining” (The Wall Street Journal) history of the world’s oldest and most influential fraternity Founded in London in 1717 as a way of binding men in fellowship, Freemasonry proved so addictive that within two decades it had spread...

François Hollande: The Reluctant Hero By Julien Peltier He was the “normal president” in extraordinary times. François Hollande rose to power promising calm, compromise, and stability. Instead, he found himself tested by terror attacks, economic stagnation, and a nation divided by doubt. From the flicker of unity in the aftermath of tragedy to the crushing weight of disillusion, Julien Peltier paints a vivid portrait of a leader caught between duty and destiny. With rare intimacy and sharp irony, this biography reveals the man behind the hesitant smile: modest yet ambitious, ironic ...

He kills without motive. He vanishes without trace. And he wears a tuxedo to every crime. In 1911, the world met a new kind of villain: Fantômas. Master of disguise. Genius of terror. A phantom whose crimes made Sherlock Holmes look like an amateur—and whose shadow still darkens every masked killer, supervillain, and antihero today. In Fantômas: The Phantom Lord of Crime and the Birth of the Modern Villain, explore how this pulp fiction menace became the template for an entire century of evil. From his origin in French penny dreadfuls to his resurrection by Surrealist poets, from silent...