The Shortest History of France

Shortest History

by Colin Jones

From Caesar’s Gallic Wars and Frankish tribes to revolution, cultural ascendance, and civil unrest, this book is a richly compact, eye-opening history of the world’s most visited country.

France is the most popular tourist destination in the world, thanks to its unsurpassed cultural and historical riches. Gothic architecture, Louis XIV opulence, revolutionary spirit, café society, haute cuisine and couture . . . what could be more quintessentially French?

Rarely, however, do we think of France as a melting pot, and yet historian Colin Jones asserts it’s no less a mélange of foreign ingredients than the United States, and by some measures more. As nationalism and anti-immigration rhetoric surge in France (and elsewhere), The Shortest History of France presents a portrait of a nation whose politics and society have always been shaped by global forces. Grounded in up-to-date historical scholarship that avoids the traps of national exceptionalism, Jones reminds us that it was only after the first millennium of French history―following constant subjugation to the Roman Empire, Germanic invaders, and the Holy Roman Empire―that a nation-state began to emerge. Even then, regions of France were independent and more closely linked to neighboring states. The medieval crusades and then overseas colonization were two further vectors of global connection, admitting Islamic, North African, and Caribbean influences.

France has been home to the Enlightenment, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and The Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, its darker moments have included the Vichy regime and the Algerian War, along with persistent racism, police brutality, and civil unrest. From the serious to the sublime, The Shortest History of France is a dynamic, global story enhanced with touches of cultural radiance―truly a retelling for our times.

B&W images throughout

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Politics, History and Politics

Mass Market Paperback

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Lewis Woolston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book the "Shortest History" series that i have read, the first being their history of Italy.
I'd rate this one not quite as good as the Italy book but still a decent read.
This book takes the reader from the Roman conquest of Gaul to the Macron Presidency in about 250 pages which is a serious achievement in brevity but perhaps a little too much was skipped over.
The chapters about the pre-revolution monarchy and the wars of religion were probably the best and most interesting. Reducing the life of Charles de Gaulle to a few pages seems almost unforgiveable to me.
All in all i'd say good but not great. Probably the sort of book you'd save for a plane or train journey rather than a serious read at home.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a problem with short books of general history. It is that they are inevitably one-damned-thing-after-another narratives, often sparse on context and thinner still on analysis. Worse still, the 'things' are typically long lists whose characteristic elements are 'and then A attacked B'.

This does not describe everything in this midsized volume. But it describes too much of it.

[Walter Schutjens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Tour de Force de France. I think this was very very well done. Not so short as hoped, the reader gets more short tidbits of side-information: a little look into the factual inaccuracies of Roman views on the Gauls, a little history of Protestant prosecutions (of Protestations), a short summary of yet another Capet campaign. I read this in conjunction with a book on the history of the building of the Notre Dame and a close analysis of the death of the final months of the Bourbon family - it was a lovely dive in the deep end with this work as my handholds.

I feel like I've read enough of these books to know that in the grand scheme nothing much remains of a coherent story, that is despite all ethno-nationalist attempts to create one. Instead one gets more of a feeling for as the most French philosopher puts it 'The Order of Things'. And that is useful for a country where there is such an idealistic self-image and nationalism grounded in self-determination that it easily overlooks the cacophony of influence and adoption. I did not in the end get a very strong impression of the French people themselves, history has a strange way of both defining an age while evading humanity: even that great recognition of common humanity that took place during the Revolution, is made through history a collection of causes. Causes so geared for collision and absolute in their scope that even an increasingly absolute monarch could not triumph over them.

It is then perhaps only in retrospect that history makes us, because in the present it is all that we have, and in this sense I thought it important to indulge the French in their self-image. Though naturally, just as I have read Carlyle, safely presented by an English sardonic.

[Rich Christman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful dive into the story of one of the world’s most fascinating, culturally rich, paradoxical, hypocritical, and beautiful nations in the world. The center of Europe, the first daughter of the Church, and the loudest birthplace of liberal republicanism is a wild place, surely destined to not play second fiddle forever.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader of primarily US history, I was excited to pick up this book. Based on the title, and my own knowledge of French history, I was hoping that it would be a nice “toe-dip” into the history of France. Ultimately, I was not disappointed, and it was exactly what I was looking for. If you want a bit of a refresh on the topics you may already be familiar with, and an introduction to new topics that may interest you, this book is a great resource. The author provides a little bit of everything, but not a lot of anything, which is by no means a criticism. Considering that this book covers nearly three millennia of French history in roughly 270 pages, the book provides exactly what you should expect from something titled “The Shortest History of France.” Throughout this read, I found myself appreciating the stories I already did know, and jotting down notes of topics and tidbits that I’d like to research further. Jones provides a fast-moving crash course of France, from the Gauls to de Gaulle, and right up to present day. This book will give you enough information to be dangerous, and if you enjoy history, will whet your appetite for areas of further reading. A special thanks to NetGalley and The Experiment for allowing me to enjoy this read.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shortest History series is back with a fantastic review of our cousins from across the channel. Don’t know your croissant from your cuisses de grenouille? Then look no further, some absolute lad has written a billy-basics (aka Louis-basics) guide to the country which invented mimes and self-sabotage. 

Assuming no prior knowledge, the author helpfully utilises his very best plain-speaking English and dozens of diagrams to get his point across. Even the most basic stuff isn’t taken for granted. Instead of saying, for example, “southern France” (which could be anywhere), he’ll say “remember I told you France is a hexagon? Well, this is in the bottom bit” and instantly you’re like, oui oui, bon understand me old mucker.

Seriously, I can’t recommend this book enough. Reading it beside a pool not a million miles from Marseille, I was able to gain enough local knowledge to absolutely terrorise my French-speaking mother-in-law (who’d paid for the AirB&B). Whilst she was looking after my toddler and putting the beers on chill, I was confidently able to man-splain the spread of Capetian style cathedrals in my most condescending (i.e. French) voice. Fantastic. A holiday she’ll never forget.

[Patrick Tullis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my least favorite book I’ve read in the shortest history book series (I’ve read a total of 3 so far). I understand it is hard to fit all that history into 250 pages. However, I thought there was too much focus on “world history” early in the book and not nearly enough information on the different areas of France.

This book is a good overview and does well in the back half of the book. The book is meant as a starting point but I don’t feel like it inspired me to read additional books about French history. This is contrasted by my love for the Shortest History of Japan and Italy books, which inspired me to read additional books on those subjects.

[Lawrence Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do they keep doing it? The Shortest History series keeps getting really good writers, and Colin Jones is no exception here. This history of France is everything that a shortest history would need to be: interesting, educational, concise, and consumable.

If you’re a fan of the Shortest Histories like me, then you’re familiar with how fun these books can be but also perhaps how hit or miss they can be. What I asked of the Shortest History of France was the same I ask of all short histories: teach me about the country/topic, make it fun, and do it in under 300 pages preferably. This book did just that. There were plenty of aspects of French history I was totally unaware of even in the modern day when I was alive to literally watch elections or visit Paris for myself. But much of my education was in the formative years of the nation that would become France. This book takes you on a journey from Roman Gaul to the multiple Francias to France and its many revolutions, and all with the a heaping of what seemed like as many invasions and migrations as England from the Vikings and Germans as well as internal strife. Coverage of the famous French Revolution of 1789, of which I have read much about outside of this book, was well written and explanatory.

As a reminder to all those who read these, this is a book about French history focused on the geographic territory of France, not its colonies or empire necessarily, so treat this the same as you treated the Shortest History of England (focused on England, not Scotland, Wales, or Ireland).

A high recommend from me to all history buffs, and even francophiles will find something new to learn in here!

[Winston? Kam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet.
I really needed a fresher on the 18th and 19th century bc all of the revolutions and revolts mix together.

Finally understood where Merovingian dynasty really came from.

The concluding chapter delved deeply into contemporary French politics which, having known nothing, was quite enlightening. France, akin to the US in its revolutionary flair, is also experiencing a shifting towards popularizing right-wing ideologies. A decline in morality… a radicalization of pompous ignorance.

A great quote
“‘The facts may prove me wrong,’ de Gaulle once remarked to one of his ministers, ‘but history will prove me right.’ ‘But, Mon général’” replied the minister. ‘I thought that history was written with facts.’”

The Vichy regime was a vague concept to me but its likeness to the current ICE raids is chilling. The Vichy rulers/command claimed to be appeasing/at the mercy of Nazi Germany and was simply taking orders. They played the “oh we didn’t hurt ALL the Jews just a few…” card.

I hope one day these offenders will be charged with crimes against humanity in the same way. Fuck Trump

[Tom Jerrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t feel like I know too much more than I knew to begin with as the very nature of the book means that it can go into many topics in great detail. I do think it focuses on France’s impact on other countries and empires rather than the impact on itself as a region. However, still an enjoyable read. And what I do know is that I am definitely a ‘flaneur’. Also found the stuff on the enlightenment and its impact on current day France’s attitude to religion very interesting and provided a lot of context to things like the ban on Muslim head coverings.

[Dovide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid, informative and entertaining introduction to French history, ranging across politics, arts, cuisine, religion, culture and more. Given the span of millennia that needed to be covered, I was impressed by Jones' breadth of topics and the tact with which he approached them in just 300 pages. I especially appreciated his treatment of French imperial history and the Hexagon's response to decolonial struggles. Of course, the nature of the text means that many subjects lack depth, detail, and analysis, and a lot is left out of the narrative entirely, but overall I really enjoyed the book and learned a great deal.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the other volumes I've read in the series this was desperately in need of aggressive editing. Not well formatted. For example, there are a lot of shaded sidebar sections where you'd expect to leave the chapter aside for a tangent - except sometimes the chapter continues directly from the tangent instead of where the text left off. I've never seen anyone do that.

I am not a subject matter expert so I can't speak to the content; you may be better off with a less-than-shortest French history book though.

[Hailey Strother · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted a short history of France and this was that exactly!

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

very nice summary of frances history

[Jen Epton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good to revise my french history! But to talk so much about LePen and so little about Melenchon and LFI at the end is diabolical (although I understand why from a foreigner's pov it would feel like this)

[Emma Rund · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this much better than France An Adventure History! The writing is simple, straight forward, and clear. This has been the most useful in gaining an overview of French history quickly.

[David Klingenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is short—maybe a little too short.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shortest History of France is a nice overview of all the key events in the life of the present-day country of France. It was ideal for me, a noncitizen of France, who had only the most cursory knowledge of the people and happenings of this land.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this concise but comprehensive history of France, Colin Jones explores the country’s history as a melting pot of multiple languages, cultures, and identities that have evolved over centuries. Looking at the impact of global forces and migration (among other factors) on France’s history, Jones reminds readers that France’s nation-state status is far more recent than popular narratives might indicate. Highlighting the ways in which France’s history intersected with other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, this book covers French history from before the Roman conquest through World War II and the twenty-first century and balances all of these historical details and information easily. The inclusion of images and straightforward prose make this easy to read and emphasize the accessibility of history (or how accessible and complex history really is) for readers from all backgrounds, making this a great addition to the Shortest History Series. Interesting, packed with detail, and fascinating, Jones makes history entertaining and digestible in this new release that expert historians and casual history readers alike will enjoy. A fantastic exploration of the evolution of France as a country, cultural influence, and global power, readers will really enjoy this interesting, accessible, and detailed new history book.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Experiment for the advance copy.

[Christoffer Garland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite impressive for such a short work. As anyone who writes regularly knows it is not writing a lot, but writing short and concise that is the real challenge. The books I have read in this series usually strike the balance very well and this one continues the trend. This one is perhaps not as revealing as Sheila Fitzpatrick’s book about the Soviet Union but that might just come down to the fact that the real history of the USSR is less familiar and that Fitzpatrick is herself a brilliant scholar who’s work has done a lot to revise the things we thought we knew as well as the fact that said history spanned less than a century providing for a more thoroughgoing account. France’s history is far longer but just as interesting and Jones thankfully sidesteps the trite and whitewashed version of France and it’s history that is often trotted out by and for francophiles while at the same time clearly having a passionate affection for this strange, multifaceted and beautiful country. He traces the long arc of French history, warts and all, and shows how in many respects the old notions of hermetically sealed national histories should be left behind. What emerges from the wreckage of nationalist history is a rich and complex tapestry of exportation, migration, experimentation and importation that real history consists of. The saying that it “takes a village” holds just as much truth for countries as for people and France illustrates this just as well as anything.

[George Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jones gives himself a challenging task: summarize thousands of years of history in under 300 pages. These sorts of books will never please everyone because the author must make difficult choices: how much time should I spend on the Franco-Prussian War? Should each Louis and Charles be mentioned? How do you incorporate a colonial, global France into a text about the country within its hexagonal borders? Ultimately, the reader can only evaluate these works along two criteria: firstly, is it readable? Does it flow seamlessly across the centuries (no easy feat) and keep your attention? And secondly, does it miss any key details? Are there any omissions that render it inaccurate or incomplete?

Considering this book is very well-written and mentions every headline event from 52 BCE to 2025, I consider it excellent. Granted, there are times where I wish Jones had gone into more depth on a certain topic (Charles Maurras, artistic and literary trends after World War II) but this book was never meant to be exhaustive. It gives a nice refresher to people already familiar with the subject and a primer for new students. Plus, he offers a curated Further Reading section at the end for you to dig as deep as you would like. Great read and accessible!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Caesar’s conquests to modern crises, this concise history reveals France not as an isolated entity, but a nation shaped by global forces. Exploring its evolution from Roman rule to a modern state, the book highlights the continuous interplay of internal and external influences, showcasing both its celebrated achievements and its darker chapters.

This book is interesting and easy to read. I wish it had spent more time on events prior to 1900 and less on events since then. A lot of the information covered in the last chapters is not so much history but news. That’s the one big complaint I have about this series. The modern-day sections contain too much detail to be part of a short history. If I wanted to read about modern France, I’d choose a book on modern France, not on French history.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “Shortest History” series has a great formula that is consistent from book to book. I liked the non-flowery writing style with its clarity and conversational tone. Considering the time span and magnitude of the subject matter, there is an astonishing depth of information in what is actually a relatively concise book. The maps were great. Colin Jones opted to explain why things happened as opposed to just offering a collection of dates, places, and names. Obviously Jones couldn’t go into a lot of details, but I feel like he covered all the major ones. The book is fast-paced and impossible to put down, yet it doesn’t feel rushed. This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of France. Thank you to Netgalley and The Experiment for the advance reader copy.

[Allan Aksiim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written but at times simplification bordering on error. For example: France didn't leave NATO in 1966 (p 201), but NATO’s integrated military command. New member states to the EU in Eastern Europe were not only former Soviet states, but former Wasrssav pact members (p 228). The text becomes very Paris-centric quickly but that is more a feature of French history, than a bias by the author. Regardless I would have been interested in developments in the rest of the country.

I have grown fond of the short/shortest history format, mostly due to time constraints and a desire to not get bogged down by all the details. It is still an imperfect format and quality varies by author.

[Graham Mott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Difficult to write a boring history of France but this book does it. History for the Tik-tok generation and a 10 second attention span with strange sort of pull out mini chapters. Seems oddly paced as well, Napoleon for example seems to be skimmed over . A search in Wikipedia or AI would be better. While it didn’t annoy me it is relentless “right on” in its view of history as well. Definitely not La Glorie of France but rather a tale of slavery and exploitation. Felt at the end that I wish I hadn’t bothered to read it. Learnt little.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a history nerd; anyone who knows me will agree. I can share history of world wars, American History, compare TX vs CA history. Do I know the history of France? Umm, the highlights. Did you know that France is sometimes referred to as l'Hexagone ("The Hexagon")?

This book was a great way to learn the history of France, beyond the highlights, but also not a few semesters of classes.

Thank you NetGalley and The Experiment. #TheShortestHistoryofFrance #NetGalley

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to The Experiment for sending me a copy.

Despite having visited France a few times, I didn't know a ton about the country's overall history. This book is a good, quick primer. I knew I would be in good hands when the author emphasized in the intro the diversity of the country. France has been influenced by the world, and vice versa, as the book doesn't shy away from discussing France's colonial ambitions.

[Rebecc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colin Jones is very well versed in French history & he has a charming way with words that I think readers & the French will appreciate. He covers a very long historical period with panache & though one might not agree with everything he says it is an ideal starter book for those that need that & the excellent time line shows just how ripe France is for further reading.

[Christopher Junker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are largely unfamiliar with the history of France, this seems like a pretty easily digestible introduction. If all you want to do is take the jumble of things that you already know about French history and re-order them so that you can think about it more completely I think this is also a good choice.

[Murdo Murchison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series, and a good read. I have read the Scandinavia and German one of this series and I would say they are a little stronger than this one. In this one I found there were some references not explained in this and some assumptions that you know some of the historical background already which I found frustrating. Great introduction and overview of the history of France though.