The Discovery of France

by Graham Robb (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2007

  $4.20

  It's easy to reduce France to the sum of its parts: weekend breaks amid the culture of Paris or summer holidays basking in the sunshine of the south; accounts of the Revolution - Madame Defarge knitting beside the guillotine - and Napoleon's battle at Waterloo (mis)remembered from school history lessons; a country famous for its intellectuals, its philosophers and writers, its fashion, food and wine. Despite this, however, the notion of 'the French' as one nation is relatively recent and - historically speaking - quite misleading; in order to discover the 'real' past of France, it's not only necessary to go back in time, but also to go at a slower pace than modern life generally allows: this book is the result of 14,000 miles covered by bicycle (and four years spent in the library). It is at last a book which tells the whole story. 'Funny, enterprisingly researched, and undertaken with few apparent preconceptions ...This is an excellent, amusing, decent book, which covers an enormous amount of ground in a little space' - Philp Hensher, Spectator . 'A fascinating study of a complex subject, written with humanity, sceptical intelligence and an impressive command of the sources' - Daily Telegraph . 'A fascinating mix of personal testimony and judiciously filleted history' - The Times .

• Used

  Paperback
  2008

  $4.20

  Illuminating, engrossing and full of surprises, The Discovery of France is a literary exploration of a country few will recognize; from maps and migration to magic, language and landscape, it's a book that reveals the 'real' past of France to tell the whole story -- and history -- of this remarkable nation. 'With gloriously apposite facts and an abundance of quirky anecdotes and thumbnail sketches of people, places and customs, Robb, on brilliant form, takes us on a stunning journey through the historical landscape of France' Independent 'Certain books strain the patience of those close to you. How many times can you demand: Look at this! Can you imagine? Did you know that? without actually handing over the volume? This is such a book' Mail on Sunday 'An extraordinary journey of discovery that will delight even the most indolent armchair traveller' Daily Telegraph