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A Concise History of France
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 19 hrs and 25 mins
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A Concise History of France
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Summary
Ranging from the early Middle Ages to the present, this is one of the broadest and most up-to-date studies of French history available in English. Among its central themes are the relationships between state and society, the impact of war, competition for power, and the ways in which power has been used. Whilst taking full account of major figures such as Philip Augustus, Henri IV, Louis XIV, Napoleon and de Gaulle, it sets their activities within the broader context of changing economic and social structures and beliefs, and offers rich insights into the lives of ordinary men and women. The recording also includes a chapter on contemporary France - its society and political system as a result of globalization, rising unemployment, a failing educational system, growing social and racial tensions, corruption, the rise of the extreme right, and a widespread loss of confidence in political leaders.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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What listeners say about A Concise History of France
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- A. Dyson
- 22-10-24
Lacks balance
This read more like a history of the governance of France rather than a general history. Disappointingly brief on the Middle Ages and far too 'sociological' for a period when individuals and events were extremely important. The author seems far more at home with the period from 1750 onwards.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- captainjamesmartin
- 25-06-19
Not a Concise History
The book claims to be a concise history of France, it isn’t, it is a history of modern france
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- N. G. Hastilow
- 31-07-24
Truly tedious
this is dull and uninteresting. a huge disappointment which turns 1,000 years of history into a feeble and flaccid fumble. Avoid
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 03-06-19
Fantastic, Accessible, and yet, Intellectual
Balanced, well researched, brilliantly structured, and intellectual. It seems other reviewers were looking for a good 'story' or a book in the form of the 'popular history' genre, but anyone truly interested in 'knowledge' as an end in itself should buy this book as a fantastic introduction to French history.
That is not to say the book is dry in any way at all, it's rather engaging and given its concise nature, very fast paced! Having an understanding of basic social science concepts is helpful, although not a necessity.
Personally, this has inspired me to read other works such as those by Lefebvre regarding the French Revolution and Napoleon, as well as a deep fascination with the Dreyfus Affair, on which a brilliant book is written by Eric Cahm (highly recommended too).
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5 people found this helpful