Books About France (history)

mccardey · Apr 20, 2012

Since we're going to be here for a little while, I was wondering if someone would suggest some reading I might do... Recommendations, anyone? History would be good, or biography, or memoirs from earlier years - that kind of thing.

Thank you

Yorkist · Apr 20, 2012

Chime. I'm eagerly awaiting other submissions to this thread.

I don't know what time period you're looking for, but I see you're in Provence, so this book I enjoyed a few years ago may appeal... Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe

Yesterday I found an absolute coup in the uni library for the research I'm doing for my WIP. It's surprisingly readable for an academic text: The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History. You'll have to skim past the first few pages (where the author is dismissing the psychoanalytic perspective) to get to the juicy bits. Its focus is the peasantry of the 18th century and prior, but its purpose is to get to the bottom of how the French think (or: thought), with an eye towards folklore and lifestyle. I've only read about a quarter of it but so far it is entertaining, informative, and not at all dry.

mccardey · Apr 21, 2012

Oh thank you so much! The second sounds fascinating, and the first is by Nancy Goldstone - and she and her husband write the most delicious books about bibliophilia. I thought I had everything they've published so far - both of them lovely writers.

Off to the bookshop I go, then.

Thank you again. Here, have a rep point.

Alessandra Kelley · Apr 21, 2012

The Return of Martin Guerre, Natalie Zemon Davis. Sixteenth century creep of a man abandons his wife and family, nearly ten years later someone returns claiming to be him, is accepted by the wife and Guerre's sisters, moves in with wife, they have more kids, court case is brought by suspicious father-in-law, village is scandalized, opinions strong, quite a spectacle.

mccardey · Apr 23, 2012

Thanks Alessandra - sounds gripping! I've added it to the list and will tell you what I thought. (Personally, I'm with the village...)

And just a gentle bump in case anyone else has any suggestions...?

Yorkist · Apr 23, 2012

There's a novel I can think of that may appeal: The Virgin Blue, by Tracy Chevalier. One of the narratives concerns an American expat living in France (so it'll at least be personally relevant), the other a Huguenot. Seriously, read this, it is magical.

I'm all out of non-fiction, but I'm doing a lot of research on France for my WIP. Anything else I find that's actually fun to read I will pass along your way.

mccardey · Apr 23, 2012

Yorkist said:
There's a novel I can think of that may appeal: The Virgin Blue, by Tracy Chevalier. One of the narratives concerns an American expat living in France (so it'll at least be personally relevant), the other a Huguenot. Seriously, read this, it is magical.

I'm all out of non-fiction, but I'm doing a lot of research on France for my WIP. Anything else I find that's actually fun to read I will pass along your way.

You're a darling! Leonie Frieda's Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France is my fave so far If you come across anything like that...

Yorkist · Apr 23, 2012

Well in that case. These are in my mental "fierce bitch biography" category moreso than "books about France" category, and you've probably already encountered them, but just in case you haven't, you may enjoy Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette and Alison Weir's Eleanor of Aquitaine. And OOH! I just remembered that Mark Twain wrote a book on Joan of Arc; I have not yet read it, but how could that not be good? The reviews are great.

But yeah, I'll keep my eye out for anything along those lines (biographies of fierce bitches are my cup of tea anyways) as well as anything else I read that happens to be fun.

Manuel Royal · Apr 23, 2012

Wanted to recommend Barbara Tuchman's famous work A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century.

Ari Meermans · Apr 23, 2012

I've been racking my brain for a recommendation--how could I have forgotten A DISTANT MIRROR!?!

I second that recommendation.

Izhitsa · May 7, 2012

For France in the 20th Century, La vie en bleu: France and the French since 1900 by Rod Kedward is a good option.

mccardey · May 7, 2012

Thank you! I'll see if I can order it in...

Yayy! Book depository has it

Thanks again.

Hip-Hop-a-potamus · May 7, 2012

Alessandra Kelley said:
The Return of Martin Guerre, Natalie Zemon Davis. Sixteenth century creep of a man abandons his wife and family, nearly ten years later someone returns claiming to be him, is accepted by the wife and Guerre's sisters, moves in with wife, they have more kids, court case is brought by suspicious father-in-law, village is scandalized, opinions strong, quite a spectacle.

The movie of this is wonderful too. One of Gerard Depardieu's early films.

mccardey, if you can find it, there's a wonderful nonfiction called "The Road From the Past: Traveling Through History in France" by Ina Caro that is basically a tour guide through various places with all the historical detail included to really be able to enjoy them.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0156003635/?tag=absowrit-20

Hope you're having fun!

Hip-Hop-a-potamus · May 7, 2012

Also, for a little more current history, this one on the Resistance was wonderful:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/825130.Soldiers_Of_The_Night

or this one:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213843.Is_Paris_Burning_

or this one, which I just finished:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48190.Villa_Air_Bel

mccardey · May 7, 2012

Oh, this is all great stuff - thank you so much.

I read "French Children Don't Throw Food" a couple of days ago, on the basis that understanding parenting might help understand society. That was an intriguing little read, from both angles (ie: the US and the French).

mccardey · May 16, 2012

Yayyy! Guess what came in the post today? La Vie en Blue and Is Paris Burning?

That will keep me quiet for a couple of cold evenings

Thanks for the suggestions. I have others on order.

Marya · May 16, 2012

Graham Robb's The Discovery of France?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/sep/09/historybooks.features

Tinkerbelll · Jun 9, 2012

Desiree by Annemario Selinko

A fiction bio about Desiree Clary, Napoleon Bonaparte's fiancee.

Books About France (history)

mccardey

Yorkist

mccardey

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

mccardey

Yorkist

mccardey

Yorkist

Manuel Royal

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

Izhitsa

mccardey

Hip-Hop-a-potamus

My rhymes are bottomless

Hip-Hop-a-potamus

My rhymes are bottomless

mccardey

mccardey

Marya

In search of distractions

Tinkerbelll