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France

A History: from Gaul to de Gaulle

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France

By: John Julius Norwich
Narrated by: John Julius Norwich
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A witty history of 2000 years of French history from legendary popular historian John Julius Norwich

I can still feel, as if it were yesterday, the excitement of my first Channel crossing (as a child of nearly 7) in September 1936; the regiment of porters, smelling asphyxiatingly of garlic in their blue-green blousons; the raucous sound all around me of spoken French; the immense fields of Normandy strangely devoid of hedges; then the Gare du Nord at twilight, the policemen with their képis and their little snow-white batons; and my first sight of the Eiffel Tower...This book is written in the belief that the average English-speaking man or woman has remarkably little knowledge of French history. We may know a bit about Napoleon or Joan of Arc or Louis XIV, but for most of us that's about it. In my own three schools we were taught only about the battles we won: Crécy and Poitiers, Agincourt and Waterloo. The rest was silence. So here is my attempt to fill in the blanks...

John Julius Norwich (at 88) has finally written the book he always wanted to write, the extremely colourful story of the country he loves best.

From frowning Roman generals and belligerent Gallic chieftains, to Charlemagne (hated by generations of French children taught that he invented schools) through Marie Antoinette and the storming of the Bastille to Vichy, the Resistance and beyond, FRANCE is packed with heroes and villains, adventures and battles, romance and revolution. Full of memorable stories and racy anecdotes, this is the perfect introduction to the country that has inspired the rest of the world to live, dress, eat -- and love better.

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Europe France Witty Funny Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

Always a warm, welcoming guide, John Julius Norwich takes us on a historical tour of France from its earliest days to the twenty-first century . . . A highly entertaining introduction to a fascinating nation
Norwich romps through French history with lots of good stories: philandering kings, dread plagues and legendary dinners
For his final book, the late Norwich tackled the dauntingly vast subject of two millennia of French history with admirable lightness and urbanity. There is the odd whiff, probably deliberate, of 1066 and All That - "The Capetians had steadily built up France, transforming it from a Carolingian custard into a nation" - and his comic footnotes deserve a review of their own
A richly illuminating work . . . Norwich was a wonderful military historian
Almost the best thing in it is the author's short epilogue, 'The Essence of France', in which he listed what he loved most about that enchanting, if occasionally exasperating, country - its architecture, its painting and its music. These were among Norwich's greatest passions, which he invariably conveyed with authority, charm and wit (Desmond Seward)
A story told with charm and obvious enthusiasm for the subject ... My children constantly ask why the GCSE syllabus cannot be an introduction to British history rather than a somewhat esoteric dive into Weimar, Nazi Germany and Russia. What they want is a comprehensive, approachable and enjoyable survey of the story of our islands - and that is exactly what John Julius Norwich has written about France . . . The attraction of this commendable short history is that it's as entertaining as it is informative, written with fluency, wit and a nicely understated humour: a real pleasure-almost compelling-to read
Norwich treats history like a friendly fireside chat
The tone of France is avuncular, worldly and witty; it is like having dinner with an urbane, well-read uncle.
There is certainly a need for a concise history of France in English and, in many ways, John Julius Norwich is the ideal man to write it . . . Norwich has a love for France that stretches back to his childhood and it is evident throughout this readable, entertaining book.
This warm, delightful short history of France, aimed convivially at the general reader, is his love letter to the country he knew so well
John Julius Norwich's political history of France, which begins with Vercingetorix and ends with Charles de Gaulle in 1945, invites us to admire the giants of the past and even vicariously to share in their triumphs . . . richly illuminating
All stars
Most relevant
Do not skip the very personal introduction. Lord Norwich's father was ambassador to France in 1945, and the author has vivid memories and funny anecdotes.
The whole history is witty, accurate and contains much gossip on the affaires and mistresses of the ruling individuals.
He loves France and it shows.

An accurate and slightly gossipy history

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A task as ambitious as narrating practically the whole history of France was beautifully mastered by Julius Norwich, who I enjoyed listening to as he took me through the steps of French history. This book has given me a good overview of the country's history and I will definitely take it as a starting point for further learning.

Well narrated, informative and concise

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Mr Julius Norwich's final book, is the first of his that I have read, and I've enjoyed it very much.

It is, as the author says in his introduction, a broad, popular history, meant for the general reader who knows little of France. It will not add much to the knowledge of those who already are familiar with the subject, and it's focus is quite narrowly on the rulers rather than the ruled. But it does exactly what it says it will do - provide an excellent, entertaining narrative that will familiarize you with the last 2000 years of French history, and do so with lashings of wry wit and amiable commentary.

The author reads his own work, which made the book even more of a pleasure. His deep love for France and its people comes through in every chapter.

Really good popular history.

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I really loved listening to this. The author/narrator has such a great turn of phrase which had me laughing out loud several times throughout the book. r

brilliant and entertaining.

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Very well written and read. As a French man growing up in the U.K., I learnt a lot about my home country and the history and reasoning behind Anglo French relations. Thank you John reading and writing this book, your narration clearly conveys your passion for the subject.

Fantastic

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