Modern France History

John Julius Norwich - called a "true master of narrative history" by Simon Sebag Montefiore - returns with the book he has spent his distinguished career wanting to write, A History of France, a portrait of the past two centuries of the country he loves best. 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 Antionette, to name a few - as Norwich chronicles France's often violent, always fascinating 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: ...

As nationalism and anti-immigration rhetoric surge in France (and elsewhere), The Shortest History of France presents a portrait of a nation whose politics and society have always been shaped by global forces. Grounded in up-to-date historical scholarship that avoids the traps of national exceptionalism, Jones reminds us that it was only after the first millennium of French history that a nation-state began to emerge.

France has influenced the course of history in Europe and the world for centuries. Considered one of the world’s most beautiful countries and home to some of the world’s most visited tourist locations, France has enthralled and fascinated the people who’ve discovered that, in many ways, the history of France encompasses both the good and bad in the human character.

This famous treatise began as a letter to a young French friend who asked Edmund Burke’s opinion on whether France’s new ruling class would succeed in creating a better order. Doubtless the friend expected a favorable reply, but Burke was suspicious of certain tendencies of the Revolution from the start and perceived that the revolutionaries were actually subverting the true "social order". Blending history with principle and graceful imagery with profound practical maxims, this book is one of the most influential political treatises in the history of the world.

When we think of France we often evoke images of fine food and wine, the elegant boulevards of Paris, the chic beaches of St Tropez. Yet, as the largest country in Europe, it is a place of huge diversity. The idea of 'Frenchness' emerged from over 2,000 years of history and it is a riveting story from Roman conquest to the present day.

Unearth the incredible story of France – from Celtic pre-history to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the modern day. Authentically written with gripping prose and the latest historical facts, this fascinating book invites you on a journey through the ages to discover the intense, turbulent, and often bloody history of a European juggernaut. Shedding light on the fascinating world of French culture and politics – from their mysterious Celtic origins to their rise as a Medieval superpower.

Ce vaste livre audio de Louis Lurine fait revivre Paris rue par rue, comme un roman de la ville totale: de la boue de Lutèce aux pavés de Philippe‑Auguste, du Paris médiéval à la Renaissance, du Grand Siècle aux révolutions, chaque voie devient scène où défilent peuples, rois, artisans, criminels, savants, comédiens et exilés, entre faste, fureur et métamorphoses urbaines.

France, 1180 to 1600. A tale of power, intrigue, and change. Kings and queens ruled with ambition. Wars raged across the land. Culture flourished. Society evolved.

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...

A new history of the war that toppled the French Empire, unified Germany, and set Europe on the path to World War I Among the conflicts that convulsed Europe during the nineteenth century, none was more startling and consequential than the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. Deliberately...

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.

The twentieth century is usually seen as "the century of total war." But as the historian David A. Bell argues in this landmark work, the phenomenon actually began much earlier, in the era of muskets, cannons, and sailing ships—in the age of Napoleon. In a sweeping, evocative narrative, Bell takes us from campaigns of "extermination" in the blood-soaked fields of western France to savage street fighting in ruined Spanish cities to central European battlefields where tens of thousands died in a single day. Between 1792 and 1815, Europe plunged into an abyss of destruction.

Ranging from the early Middle Ages to the present, this is one of the broadest and most up-to-date studies of French history available in English. Among its central themes are the relationships between state and society, the impact of war, competition for power, and the ways in which power has been used.

The bestselling author of Catherine de Medici returns to sixteenth-century Europe in this evocative and entertaining biography that recreates a remarkable era of French history and brings to life a great monarch—Francis I—who turned France into a great nation. Catherine de Medici’s...

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 ...

Within this audiobook, you'll meet some truly remarkable figures who shaped the destiny of a great nation—from visionary artists to brilliant inventors, and from cunning leaders to fearless rebels. You'll bear witness to the many struggles and triumphs of a people who fought for their freedom and their dreams, and who changed the course of history forever.

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...

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...

Scotland, 1567. A pregnant Mary, Queen of Scots is dragged out of her palace by rebel lords and imprisoned in the isolated Lochleven Castle, an ancient fortress surrounded by a vast lake. Her infant son and heir, James, has been captured by her enemies. Accompanying Mary are two inconspicuous serving women: observant, ambitious Jane and romantic, quick-tempered Cuckoo, who endeavor to keep their mercurial mistress company while sharing the space of a claustrophobic room over the course of their eleven-month forced stay. Their hosts want them dead. They'll settle for Mary's abdication.