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French History


mint
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I am interested in getting hold of a book on French history; in English I hasten to add  Don't really mind if it's a school text (that is, if they still do things like read history books for their O and A levels, or whatever their exams are called these days).

Would google or look at Amazon, but might be better if someone can give me a recommendation.  Can't waste our hard-earned, downward-sliding money on a book that might be hard-going!

Thank you, all.  Hoddy, you're a keen reader, so perhaps you know of a book?

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I'm with copperlola - L'Histoire de France pour les Nuls is excellent, and is very easy to dip into.

http://www.amazon.fr/LHistoire-France-pour-Jean-Joseph-Julaud/dp/2876919419

Le francais correct pour les nuls is also very good....................it's great to realise that there is a book like this because native French speakers find it hard as well!!!

http://www.amazon.fr/fran%C3%A7ais-correct-pour-nuls/dp/2876916401/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206823628&sr=1-16

Chris

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Thanks for the suggestions, folks.  Chrisb and Coops, I reckon I'm too "nul" to come to grips with the French book.

Pads, I looked at the Amazon site as per your suggestion and, as you say, it looks good.  I'm therefore ordering that today and, best of all, I will be paying in sterling (which makes it cheaper, doesn't it?[;-)])

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If you would like detailed,  more recent French history, I would recommend Alfred Cobban's

"A History of Modern France"  (up to 1962)  in 3 volumes, little Penguin paperbacks. It is excellently written, and very accessible. It used to be a recommended textbook for a French degree a few years back.

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5-element, merci bien.  Will find it on the internet.  Sounds good.  OH particularly is desperate to know a bit more about French history now that we are living here.  Too bad, he seems to have a mental block with the language.  I swear if I continue to try and drill some French into him, a divorce or a murder is in the offing!
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I think The Discovery of France by Graham Robb is a brilliant book; it is hard to summarize but is basically a history of la France profonde, human migration, the impact of change in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the spread of the French language etc.

I am currently reading Arthur Young's Travels in France and Italy. He was an English gentleman farmer who travelled in rural France in the years leading up to the revolution. I have just been reading his comments on how the midday lunch wastes so much time from the working day!

regards

Lisa

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[quote user="LisaJ"]

I think The Discovery of France by Graham Robb is a brilliant book; it is hard to summarize but is basically a history of la France profonde, human migration, the impact of change in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the spread of the French language etc.

[/quote]

Yes it is a lovely book Lisa, totally agree. It is so good that Mr 5.e is monopolising it, so that I haven't quite read it yet...[:)]

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[quote user="cooperlola"]L'Histoire de France pour les Nuls is great!  And you can practice your French in nice, bitesized chunks at the same time.[/quote]

 

I'm reading that too - I like the way it has the little flags like "un evenement important", "une date a retenir", "le saviez-vous" and "une anecdote".  This style makes it an easy read and brings things to your attention in an entertaining way.  I'm reading it chronologically, but have dipped in to bits I particularly wanted to look up. 

But for an easy way to French History, why not pick up a subject that interests you and google it.  I did that for the Cathares recently, because we are going Cathare visiting in the summer.

Another thought is that if you are visiting specific regions, the Dorling Kindersley guide books have a history of the region, with a time line.  I received a French History Book for Christmas the other year, and it was an Oxford or Cambridge one, but it was grouped into subjects, so just huge chapters lumping everything together with no chronology to it, so I just couldn't be bothered with it. 

When visiting places of historic interest in France, there may be interesting history books in English.  Whereas in England it may be better to wait and see if you can get English books cheaper on the internet or British bookshops, I don't think that the French are allowed to discount books, so if you see something you like, you may as well buy it.

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About one month ago, I decided that I wanted an easy-to-read French history book and went to a large bookshop and browsed through children's books.  I bought one for age 9 and above:

Histoire de France - publisher: Gallimard Jeunesse

It is in the style of Dorling Kindersley books, with lots of illutrations and bite-size chunks of text (in French). It has a website connection and so I've been browsing that as well:

http://www.gallimard-jeunesse.fr/encyclopediahistoiredefrance/

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By way of a reporting back exercise, I must say that I have started on the 3 Penguins that 5-element recommended.  OH is interested in the Vichy period, so he's reading that and I am on Louis XIV.

The books have the advantage of being lightweight and small so you could take them to bed.  I think the 3rd volume ends somewhere earlyish on in the fifth republic so I will look for something more recent later on.

It's not that I want to find out about any specific region, just want an overall view so that (hopefully), I can have a little conversation that is not entirely ignorant on my part when talking to others about French history.

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[quote user="sweet 17"]

 OH is interested in the Vichy period, so he's reading that .

The books have the advantage of being lightweight and small so you could take them to bed.  I think the 3rd volume ends somewhere earlyish on in the fifth republic so I will look for something more recent later on.

I  just want an overall view so that (hopefully), I can have a little conversation that is not entire ignorant on my part when talking to others about French history.

[/quote]

There are plenty of books about the Vichy period and the Résistance. In fact, a series of 6 TV programmes has been shown recently on French TV (Arte - channel 5) with a lot of period footage which was fascinating as it had not been shown before. I think the series will be obtainable in DVD, if your OH is interested (although of course it is in French), it should  possible to find out more. In fact I think I have got most of it on video cassette.

Sweet 17, it is most impressive that you are reading these 3 (lightweight) books, and you will be able to have more than a little conversation with other knowledgeable people about French history. You will probably end up knowing far more than many French themselves!

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  • 4 months later...
[quote user="cooperlola"]L'Histoire de France pour les Nuls is great!  And you can practice your French in nice, bitesized chunks at the same time.[/quote]

Just to revive this old(ish) thread.  I bought "L'Histoire de France pour les Nuls" from LeClerc last week and for me it it fulfils two things.  Firstly the history element in an easy to digest form but just as important it's an excellent French language aid. Bitesize chunks in fairly undemanding form.

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Thanks, DerekJ.  I did look at it on the internet and was afraid it would be beyond me.  Meanwhile, I borrowed some history books (in French) from the local primary school and got on great with them; espcially as there were lots of coloured pictures to aid understanding!

I think the books were meant for 7-year olds but, personally, I'd be happy to know as much French as the average French child of that age!

Due to to to LeClerc next week and will look for this book as I have been trying to read some easy French "romans" and find to my own surprise, that that's quite an enjoyable thing to do.

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Hi Sweet17 - using very simple books, like history pour les nuls is great as it gets you a funny resume of things- primary school books OK too (often less funny though).

If you go to petrol stations (esp. on motorway) you will find a shelf with the 'Petits guides'  laminated folded, 4 pages each side- with the very bare bones of many subjects, from aromatherapy to -l'histoire de la France. (www.aedis-editions.fr) In very simple French- very visual, with the main periods separated, with Kings, amin wars, Presidents, and the evolution of borders. I am currently reading in English (ISBN 978 1-905798-19-3) The Story of French - Jean Benoit Nadeau + Julie Barlow. this is a history of the French language- but it also explains how French developed with French history. (£10.99) - I find it fascinating- but might be a bit too meaty of somebody who is not truly interested. Bonne chance.

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Many thanks for your suggestions, Odile.  BTW, any relation..... to the Odile, I mean?

I do believe that the more ways you have of learning about the history (and, of course, the language), the more interesting it becomes.

As for the language, I use all methods available:

Listening to French radio

Watching French TV (both radio and TV good for learning the history as well, of course)

Talking to les voisins and anyone else I can find who'd talk to me

Learning to play French songs on my piano.  My piano playing skills are not great but even from "Au Clair de la Lune", I learned the construction, "Je n'ai plus de feu..." Very useful to say you no longer have something or have run out of it!

And, naturally, I'm not going to lose out on French lessons run by GRETA (useful lady to know in France!)

Allez, as my neighbour tells me everyday! 

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