Max Gallo was a French writer, historian and politician.
The son of Italian immigrants, Max Gallo's early career was in journalism. At the time he was a Communist (until 1956). In 1974, he joined the Socialist Party. On April 26, 2007, the French Academy recorded his candidacy for its Seat 24, formerly held by the late Jean-François Revel. He was elected to the French Academy on 31 May 2007.
On n'explique pas 2 siècles contemporains avec une série de petits articles chronologiques à l'analyse inaboutie. Malgré une belle écriture et quelques éclairages brillants, notamment pour les parties sur la France, cet ouvrage ne convainc pas. Il peut, à la rigueur, servir d'encyclopédie d'histoire contemporaine.