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    A History of France
    A History of France
    A History of France
    Audiobook15 hours

    A History of France

    Written by John Julius Norwich

    Narrated by John Julius Norwich

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    About this audiobook

    John Julius Norwich-called a "true master of narrative history" by Simon Sebag Montefiore-returns with the book he has spent his distinguished career wanting to write, A History of France: a portrait of the past two centuries of the country he loves best.

    Beginning with Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul in the first century BC, this study of French history comprises a cast of legendary characters-Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Marie Antionette, to name a few-as Norwich chronicles France's often violent, always fascinating history. From the French Revolution-after which neither France, nor the world, would be the same again-to the storming of the Bastille, from the Vichy regime and the Resistance to the end of the Second World War, A History of France is packed with heroes and villains, battles and rebellion, stories so enthralling that Norwich declared, "I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed writing a book more."

    With his celebrated stylistic panache and expert command of detail, Norwich writes in an inviting, intimate tone, and with a palpable affection for France. One of our greatest contemporary historians has deftly crafted a comprehensive yet concise portrait of the country's historical sweep.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 2, 2018
    ISBN9781977387882

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    Reviews for A History of France

    4/5

    32 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A wonderful jaunt through French history, delightfully narrated. I will listen again!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      NIce to have a chronology of 2000 years of French history. But a Frenchmen could hardly have been more chauvinistic.
    • 4/5
      An engaging and highly readable exploration into the major political events in French history, broadly covering 2000 years, but most specifically between 800 and 1945.The author speaks of his personal experience in France and with the French; the author was of the old school, having been raised in the 1930s and 1940s and inculcated in the legacy of the "great men" school of history.Toward the end the author admits he would like to have spoken more about culture and daily life, but focused on what he knew and what he had time to discuss. The work is very engaging as a piece regarding the history of the kings and rulers and major events of France and does well at maintaining a good focus on France and not going too far afield in tangents related to other countries.Toward WWII one gets a picture of de Gaulle and the circumstance in France which is highly informed by the author's personal experiences and those of his father, Duff Cooper, whose frequent appearance is notable. A strict historian might frown on such things, but the author throughout recognizes he is writing the history as he has understood it, and the work is all the better both for the personal judgments rendered within it and the chronicling of what the author is able to know because of his closer connection to the people involved in the narrative.The choice to end at 1945 is appreciated, not because the history of France since is less important, but because it is hard to adjudicate it until its long term effects become more evident. Also, the author is a British Francophile. His affection for France is evident, but it is also evident throughout that he is a bit of an outsider. It is highly unlikely a native French person would have written the history as he has done. So there's that.But, overall, a good introduction to French history.**--galley received as part of early review program