The Course of French History

This stimulating one-volume history traces the social and economic evolution of France as a nation from the founding of the monarchy in 987, to the present day.
Against a background of structural change, Goubert etches a vivid account of key events and personalities. His perspective is a popular one, and his main interest is in how political events and famous people affect the nation as a whole. The book incorporates the findings and perspectives of recent monographic studies with clarity and precision, but it is Goubert's own judgements, direct, forceful and iconoclastic, which make this an invaluable text.

An eminent French historian's version of French history from 987 to the present, this compact account is written in a delightfully entertaining style. It's a panoramic view, from the plague to Joan of Arc to Napoleon to De Gaulle. The monarchs are taken one by one, but in general there is more social and economic than political history. With so much compression, there is occasional loss of intelligibility; Goubert genially acknowledges this with short sections given headings like "Eight Wars And As Many Truces, With Even More Massacres." But those who don't know French history will learn a lot, and those who do will enjoy Goubert's comments. Recommended. Nancy C. Cridland, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.