FREE delivery July 26 - August 10. Details

In stock.
Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.

As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

[{"displayPrice":"$28.97","priceAmount":28.97,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"28","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"97","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"AhtpT%2F6MQ7GONn6xZM7l%2BKOLx3B6DLs1Ld3AkWt0sqvCaFuexctPI38MmcOBDnRxkJyNblsP19XatQM%2FHMH%2BepWiEfjEgpLLIViKmuQa0JFQB679EKS%2BKWdKLEw79HiGu2y583pTr1%2Ba94V4KCvyDNPkG7XsvN4WBeXU1B2gw0N6fnsbv5n0PCAtoz4%2F65Tq","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$16.70","priceAmount":16.70,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"70","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"WBV%2FC9SfL5AsXpcy6Jg0%2BfImtkwJtdD2gTJO%2B5OYIIwgR9nF9cUmkBsgjBLvwy%2Bvkgt%2BE6%2F%2FID%2FoLXfOdh%2FSDhTmirIFPWwF2sL489BeJJsUhzFSGov6y7UKU29IHHECTmFI7lAb3nQ7%2Fa0aOQUsrGDjqEIQfGRKta4VEAqATUjdzLqTDY3SjpdN9biGG7Rr","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$28.97 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

TheProductsHub

Sold by

TheProductsHub

Details

Ships from

TheProductsHub

Sold by

TheProductsHub

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Thursday, July 14 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Sunday, July 10. Order within 3 hrs 11 mins

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Martistore

Fulfilled by Amazon

Add to List

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$22.00
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Amazon.com

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See this image

Follow the Author

Colin Jones

The Great Nation: France from Louis XV to Napoleon (New Penguin History of France) Paperback – December 30, 2003

by Colin Jones (Author)

48 ratings

Part of: Allen Lane History (52 books)

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$16.99

—

Hardcover

"Please retry"

$58.98

—

$5.24

Paperback

"Please retry"

$28.97

$22.00

$2.69

Enhance your purchase

There can be few more mesmerizing historical narratives than the story of how the confident monarchy left by Louis XIV in 1715 became the discredited failure toppled by revolution in 1789. This brilliant new book is the first in forty years to describe the whole period, from the last days of the “Sun King” to the wars of Napoleon. In a groundbreaking work of scholarship, Colin Jones argues that, contrary to popular belief, the house of Bourbon’s downfall was hardly a foregone conclusion. Producing an illuminating account of a society torn apart from within, he recounts the saga of how a dynamic French society—the heart of the Enlightenment—fell prey to the debt and humiliation of its wars against Britain.

Print length

688 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin Books
Publication date

December 30, 2003
Dimensions

5.1 x 1.2 x 7.8 inches
ISBN-10

0140130934
ISBN-13

978-0140130935
See all details

Frequently bought together

+
+

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

by Colin Jones Paperback
$28.97
Get it Jul 26 - Aug 10 FREE Shipping
In stock.
Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.
Ships from and sold by TheProductsHub.
by William Beik Paperback
$23.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 14 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Only 16 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
by Robert Darnton Paperback
$18.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 14 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The fullest and most reliable history we have of eighteenth-century France.” —William Doyle, Independent

“This is a work that merits the French designation magistral: masterly and authoritative.” —Robin Buss, Financial Times

About the Author

Colin Jones is professor of history at the University of Warwick, England.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; 1st edition (December 30, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 688 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140130934
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140130935
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.03 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 1.2 x 7.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #150,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #130 in Historical France Biographies
- #182 in Renaissance Literary Criticism (Books)
- #267 in England History

Customer Reviews:
48 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Colin Jones

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Products related to this item
Sponsored Hide feedback

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Customer reviews

5 star		62%
4 star		20%
3 star		5%
2 star		11%
1 star		4%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Nicholas Roberts

Social-Political History of 18th century France

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2013

Verified Purchase

Colin Jones does a great job describing the political and social history of France during the 18th century. The book starts with the death of Louis XIV and describes the economic mess and political mayhem that resulted from the War of the Spanish Succession and Louis' quest for glory. He then covers the history of France until Napoleon's coup of 18th Brumaire in 1799.

Jones covers the political and economic contexts of the time in excellent detail using statistics in many of his assertions. Each financial crisis, famine, and political crisis is covered and often sub headed to allow easy reference. If you are someone looking for a military history of the time this book may not be for you. Although there is references to the military and conflicts at the time, it is not covered in detail. Rather the results of those conflicts and the effects on the economy and organizational structure of France are considered. So if you looking for how the people of France and their governments ticked I suggest this book.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Rachel A Applegate

Readable, gripping, history.

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is a very thoughtful and thorough history, with plenty of detail of both daily life and high political machinations. In a sense, it is nice to go so quickly through some major events (e.g. the revolution) because you can focus on the high spots and not get bogged down on who did what on which day. French involvement in the American revolutionary war gets about 2 paragraphs! The author uses fairly advanced vocabulary but it still flows smoothly. It left me wanting to read another just like it, to cover the prior period or the next!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Terri Lewis

Great history Book

Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2018

Verified Purchase

This book has great insight to the King Louis XV and the rest of the kings right up and including Napoleon.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Laura N. Oliver

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2017

Verified Purchase

fast shipping and perfect for up coming class

Helpful

Timothy P. McGarry

Deep and illuminating

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018

Verified Purchase

Provides context to developments in the French revolution that demonstrate more continuity to the previous decades than generally thought. Writing style tries a bit too hard at times but helps more than hurts

One person found this helpful

Helpful

loveshistory

Terrific history of France

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is a fun, richly detailed history of france that is wonderfully human without neglecting structure--economy and society, politics. Brings in the latest research without weighing it down unduly with historiographical debate.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

lilly

Needs better editing

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

I have read quite number of books on the French Revolution. I bought this book because upon reading the other reviews I felt it might give a new and different perspective. While reading it I noticed several inconsistencies with facts as I knew them. I decided to disregard them because as often happens different authors can give different interpretations to a set of facts. However, toward the end of the book he makes a blatant error regarding the imprisonment of Louis XVI and his family. He states that the king's youngest daughter Marie Clotilde survived her imprisonment and was exchanged with the Austrians for French prisoners of war. Louis had two daughters. His elder daughter was Marie Therese (named after and by his mother-in-law Maria Theresa of Austria) and his younger daughter was Sophie. Sophie died in infancy. Marie Therese accompanied her father to the Tower and was the only member of the family to survive and she was the one exchanged for the French prisoners. Marie Clotilde was the younger sister of Louis. This fact is well documented and not open for interpretation.

Incidentally, one sister did decide to be imprisoned with Louis that sister was Madame Elizabeth. She was tried and executed not long after Marie Antoinette.

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2013

Verified Purchase

This text is dense. Too dense. It is very wordy and makes for a dull read. It contains a lot of information, but is terrible to sift through for broader terms and information.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

SpiritofLakotaSioux

Stop defacing books. You are lazy make notes of the info you want to extract !

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2019

Verified Purchase

I have bought a number of books from World of Books and they have been very good indeed. My complaint from my latest purchase The Great Nation by Colin Jones really is not down to World of Books. My problem is these stupid selfish idiots who use highlighter pens to deface the pages. This is in my opinion a disgusting habit Its akin to going to the toilet and not flushing it afterwards, leaving it for someone else.

One person found this helpful

ChrisW

The author is obviously very knowledgeable.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is a hugely detailed account of the most important period in French history. I learned a lot. However, I found the book ill organised, repetitive and far too detailed for my purposes. I also found the author's predilection for using archaic and highly obscure vocabulary extremely irritating and unnecessary. The purpose of writing is to communicate, not to seek to impress. As a result I almost gave up reading this book and it took real determination on my part to finish it.

2 people found this helpful

Prof. P. J. Parsons

interesting but badly written

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2015

Verified Purchase

Good facts and ideas, especially about the encyclopedists and about provincial culture;
sloppily pretentious style with a scatter of solecisms.

4 people found this helpful

Fulk Nerra

Scholarship combined with good writing.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

A quality piece of work. Scholarship combined with good writing.

Robbie

French History

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2012

Verified Purchase

This is a very detailed French political history, covering the French Revolution. I'm rereading as it's
such a fascinating subject, but, you have to be committed to some deep reading, but, well worth it.

One person found this helpful

See all reviews

Buy new: $28.97$28.97 FREE delivery: July 26 - Aug 10 Ships from: TheProductsHub Sold by: TheProductsHub

Buy used: $16.70

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the Author

The Great Nation: France from Louis XV to Napoleon (New Penguin History of France) Paperback – December 30, 2003

Enhance your purchase

Frequently bought together

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Colin Jones

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy new:

$28.97

FREE delivery: July 26 - Aug 10

Ships from: TheProductsHub

Sold by: TheProductsHub

Buy used:

$16.70