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A richly compact, eye-opening history of the world’s most visited country.
France attracts more travelers from around the globe than any other destination, thanks to its unsurpassed cultural and historical riches. Gothic architecture, Louis XIV opulence, revolutionary spirit, café society, haute cuisine and couture . . . what could be more quintessentially French?
Rarely, however, do we think of France as a melting pot, and yet historian Colin Jones asserts it’s no less a mélange of foreign ingredients than the United States, and by some measures more. As nationalism and anti-immigration rhetoric surge in France (and elsewhere), The Shortest History of France presents a portrait of a nation whose politics and society have always been shaped by global forces. Grounded in up-to-date historical scholarship that avoids the traps of national exceptionalism, Jones reminds us that it was only after the first millennium of French history—following constant subjugation to the Roman Empire, Germanic invaders, and the Holy Roman Empire—that a nation-state began to emerge. Even then, regions of France were independent and more closely linked to neighboring states. The medieval crusades and then overseas colonization were two further vectors of global connection, admitting Islamic, North African, and Caribbean influences.
France has been home to the Enlightenment, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and The Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, its darker moments have included the Vichy regime and the Algerian War, along with persistent racism, police brutality, and civil unrest. From the serious to the sublime, The Shortest History of France is a dynamic, global story enhanced with touches of cultural radiance—truly a retelling for our times.
The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.
“Vital, incisive, revelatory . . .” —Hilary Mantel, 24 Hours in Revolutionary Paris
“The historian Colin Jones has a gift for examining events afresh.” —New Statesman, The Fall of Robespierre
“A marvelous, engaging, and constantly enlightening story.” —Literary Review, The Smile Revolution
