Modern French

Experience Victor Hugo's epic tale in a refreshed edition designed for today's readers. This adaptation of Les Misérables presents clean, modern formatting, contemporary typography, and gently clarified language that keeps Hugo's voice and power intact. Archaic phrasing is smoothed, long sentences are made more approachable, and footnote clutter is minimized—so you can follow the story with ease while still savoring the grandeur, moral intensity, and lyrical beauty of the original masterpiece. Set against the turmoil of 19th-century France, Les Misérables explores justice, grace, love, ...

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.

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...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Provence, 1970, a lively, dramatic account of the rise of French “nouvelle cuisine,” and the renegade chefs of the 1960s and 70s who revolutionized modern cooking. In The Secret History of French Cooking, Luke Barr takes readers inside the...

THIS EDITION of "A Tale of Two Cities" preserves Charles Dickens's powerful and dramatic original story while thoughtfully adapting the text for today's readers. Carefully crafted annotations clarify old-fashioned language, historical references, and challenging vocabulary, making the novel accessible and enjoyable for contemporary audiences. Perfect for leisure reading, book clubs, classroom study, or family discussions, this adaptation ensures that readers of all ages can fully appreciate Dickens's timeless masterpiece. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the French Revolution, "A Tale ...

The greatest revenge story ever written — now in a powerful new abridged translation that cuts straight to the heart of the epic Second Edition — Revised and Corrected Translated by Henry Bugalho — philosopher, writer, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Published by Erato Press. You know the story. A young sailor named Edmond Dantès has everything — youth, love, a future. In a single day, jealousy and conspiracy destroy it all. Falsely accused of treason, he is cast into the dungeon of the Château d'If. Fourteen years of darkness. Fourteen years of despair. And then — an ...

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.

“Enticing.” —The New York Times A young woman with a mysterious past searches for her father—who has committed an unspeakable crime—in an exquisitely lush historical novel set among the champagne vines of 19th-century Australia. Van Diemen’s Land, 1839. A young woman of means arrives...

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 ...

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...

Honoré de Balzac Explained: The Human Comedy, Realism, French Society, Literary Ambition, and the Birth of the Modern Novel is a comprehensive and accessible guide to one of the most ambitious writers in literary history. In this in depth exploration, you will discover how Balzac built La Comédie Humaine into a vast interconnected portrait of nineteenth century France, capturing the rise of capitalism, the pressures of social mobility, and the psychological intensity of modern ambition. Whether you are new to Balzac or looking to deepen your understanding, this book provides clear insight...

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...

Modern European History 1815–2025: A Handbook is designed as a clear and dependable guide for students who want to prepare with confidence and clarity. Organised strictly around the prescribed syllabus, it allows readers to move step by step through the major themes of modern Europe without losing direction. The book begins with the transformative impact of the French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, then traces the settlement shaped by the Concert of Europe. From there, it explores the powerful forces that defined the nineteenth century, nationalism, liberalism, ...

Le pouvoir se gagne dans l’ombre Avant de devenir des forces d’exécution, ils étaient des cibles. Une hackeuse accusée après avoir découvert une purge dissimulée dans un système de l’OTAN. Une jeune femme prise au piège d’un réseau criminel qui refuse de rester sous contrôle. Un gardien de prison qui ne tolère ni corruption ni compromission. Un officier fédéral qui déclenche une crise politique en révélant une anomalie explosive. Katja Liebermann. Penelope Brinkmann. Max Amsel. Klaus Wagner. Quatre récits d’origine mêlant cyber-espionnage, criminalité organisée...

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...

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...

BEST FRIENDS. FIRST KISS. FIRST LOVE. FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WILL THEY BE? “Paige Toon's romances are powerful and poignant and never fail to leave me clutching her book to my chest.” – MIA SHERIDAN, author of ARCHER’S VOICE In the spirit of Mia Sheridan, a heartbreaking story of...

House of Bourbon is a sweeping, factual narrative of the dynasty that helped shape modern Europe. From Henry IV’s hard-won settlement after the French Wars of Religion to Louis XIV’s Versailles state, from the fall of Louis XVI and the fate of Marie Antoinette and Marie Thérèse Charlotte to the Bourbon transformation of Spain, this book traces how power is claimed, defended, and reinvented across centuries. Moving between Paris and Madrid, revolution and restoration, constitution and dictatorship, it follows the Bourbons as a living case study in legitimacy: how rulers win obedience, ...

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 not unjustly held the best review on French philosophy of 19th century was given through the shrewd insight and simple language of Alexander Gunn. Modern French Philosophy is a must-hear for all students and lovers of philosophy who are interested in the development of the main currents of spiritualism and neo-critical schools as well as at the independent voices who marked the advent of a new era in European thought.