A Traveller's History Of France (Traveller's Histories Series) [Paperback]

Robert Cole (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2005

Millions of travellers visit France each year. The glories of the French countryside, the essential harmony of French architecture, the wealth of historical relics, the myriad of cultural opportunities - all make the country a perennial and irresistible attraction.

A Traveller's History of France takes the reader from the first conquests of ancient Gaul through the Renaissance, the turmoil and triumph of the French Revolution, and on through the 20th century of French history all the way to the present.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"France comes alive in the pages of this book.... This is the book for any potential traveller..." -- Small Press

"Undoubtedly the best way to prepare for a trip to France... gives the essential facts in a very readable form." -- The Independent (London)

About the Author

Robert Cole teaches Modern European History at Utah State University. He is the author of A Traveller's History of Paris in the same series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Interlink Books; 7 Revised edition (January 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566566061
• ISBN-13: 978-1566566063
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #395,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick & Dirty, July 14, 2004

By 

Randall L. Wilson "Randy Wilson" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Traveller's History of France (Paperback)

When I travel I like to read the historic markers and understand the significance of what I am seeing. If I don't have a clue about the context ("the what dynasty was when?") I tend to feel lost and frustrated. Typically, I don't have the time in the weeks before my trip to digest an eight volume history of a country but would like a high level view of the important people, periods and events in the country's history. "A Traveller's History France" perfectly fit that bill.

Some of the features I liked are a list of all the French kings and their linneage, a timeline with all the relevant events and an alphabetical list of major events and battles. The writing is lucid, succinct as well as funny and opinionated. In this kind of book its important to convey a sense and a feel of entire century in the space of a paragraph and to stay connected to the larger political and social themes imbedded in the historical minutae. Robert Cole does this quite well.

The biggest negative for me is that half the book focuses on the last two hundred years and that is the period of French History I know best. I would have enjoyed more of a discussion of the rise of the monarchy, the British influence in France because of the various invasions and a richer discussion of the religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Short history of France, January 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Traveller's History of France (Traveller's History - 4th ed.) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for pre-trip reading or to include on your trip if you have space as you'll refer to it frequently. France for the general reader, not the French History expert.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Prep Work, January 18, 2005

By 

Gracie (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Traveller's History of France (Traveller's History - 4th ed.) (Paperback)

A useful book that is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in France's history. A good introduction to an enormous topic - it serves the purpose. However, if you are looking for a detailed, in depth, insightful history of France or a guide book, this is not the book to buy... and it doesn't claim to be.