The number of travelers France welcomes each year is as great as its population-some sixty million. They arrive to experience not only the latest fashions in clothing, art, and cuisine, but also the vestiges of a past that encompasses a half million years. Among these vestiges are Neolithic cave paintings, Roman villas and temples, medieval cathedrals, and royal chateaux. This concise volume outlines French history from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. The diverse themes discussed include the relations of France with its neighbors, the ever-present tension between national unity and regional autonomy, the role of the Catholic Church, and developments in public works and education. In order to lend this vast panorama a more human face, the author gives special attention to the life of at least one individual in each major era.
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Lisa Neal
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lite, but not too lite,
By Bill Staley (Santa Monica, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: France: An Illustrated History (Illustrated Histories (Hippocrene)) (Paperback)
More history than you'll find in a guidebook, but less than a semester course. Well written and up to date. It was just what I hoped for. Read it on the flights to and from Paris and was glad I did.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not great...,
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This review is from: France: An Illustrated History (Illustrated Histories (Hippocrene)) (Paperback)
After having read this book here are some comments:This book is titled "illustrated history" - which is in my mind rather misleading. In the 200 written pages I counted exactly 39 photos and 19 art representations. The majority of these are less than 2X3" in size. But much worse than this is that these are all in black and white, and horribly blurry. Some of these were clearly taken without enough light and much of the others are simply too dark too see enough contrast. I cannot figure out why anyone would write a new book and include such worthless pictures, much less do this and call it illustrated. You will easily find thousands of better, more up to date photos online! This book is rather light on its history and heavy on rosy-clored glasses. Many (not all) of the major people of power are represented briefly. There is no new historical information offered and very little of the intricate behind-the-scenes political agendas. Not much space is given to the religious presence and effects in French history. But worse yet is the deliberate re-characterization of each individual in a most pleasant and optimistic manner. No matter that they waged wars, massacred thousands, beheaded more thousands and devised the most devious plots - each still comes out shinning in this strange history. I was raised in France and went to the French schools and can affirm that this is not the history that is known and taught. None there believes that Robespierre, Louis XIV, Catherine de Medici or Cadinal Richelieu were even close to being Saints - so this must nearly fall under revisionist history, or an attempt at Hollywood.
13 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it,
By Executive/Career Coach (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: France: An Illustrated History (Illustrated Histories (Hippocrene)) (Paperback)
An excellent book about the history of France written in an easy-to-read style. The only thing that is missing is any reference at all to the United States. Interesting!
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Middle Ages, French Revolution, Roman Gaul, First World War, National Assembly, Joan of Arc, Roman Empire, Holy Land, Fourth Republic, Henri of Navarre, King Louis, Edict of Nantes, Philippe Auguste, Mme du Châtelet, North African, King of France, Catholic Church, Third Republic, Western Europe, Song of Roland, Madame de Pompadour, Wars of Religion, Fifth Republic Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Middle Ages, French Revolution, Roman Gaul, First World War, National Assembly, Joan of Arc, Roman Empire, Holy Land, Fourth Republic, Henri of Navarre, King Louis, Edict of Nantes, Philippe Auguste, Mme du Châtelet, North African, King of France, Catholic Church, Third Republic, Western Europe, Song of Roland, Madame de Pompadour, Wars of Religion, Fifth Republic Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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