For those of you who spend time in France and want to get to grips with this fascinating country, here’s a very comprehensive and readable book. Historian Jonathan Fenby has just launched ‘FRANCE: A Modern History from the Revolution to the War with Terror ‘ which aims to be ‘the definitive guide to understanding how the wars and revolutions have shaped the history, society and culture of modern France’.
In 480 pages, Fenby recounts and analyses the sequence of events over 200 years, from the end of the First Revolution through two others, a return of Empire, three catastrophic wars with Germany, periods of stability and hope interspersed with years of uncertainty.
It is an absorbing read, very detailed but with a strong narrative to help the reader through the complexities of French life. And it isn’t just politics – cultural, social and commercial trends are included, all the strands which made up the zeitgeist at any time. One of the benefits of reading a wide-ranging book like this is the privilege of distance and hindsight so readers can follow the development of situations, many of which are pertinent today. Reading this book, it is striking how leaders so often repeat the mistakes of previous generations, and fail to listen to the concerns and grievances of the vast majority of the population. Throughout French history, the difficulties of the working classes have been ignored, until they took it upon themselves to make themselves heard, with often bloody consequences. How we can learn from history.
The book is quite ‘dippable’ with anecdotes and pithy pen portraits of the key players. I didn’t know for instance that the dustbins in Paris were introduced by local préfet and lawyer, Eugene-René Poubelle!
I think it would be a good gift for Francophiles, or an excellent point of reference
for the bookshelf. The illustration above is the cover for the American edition just out.
The one on the right is the one you will get ordering via Amazon UK. Cover price is £25 but it’s on offer right now at £19.99.
aixcentric 
Why suggest Amazon when readers can order this book from their local bookstore, such as the wonderful Book in Bar in Aix?
Good idea. Thank you.