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A Brief History of France, Revised and Updated
When we think of France, we tend think of fine food and wine, the elegant boulevards of Paris or the chic beaches of St Tropez. Yet, as the largest country in Europe, France is home to extraordinary diversity.
The idea of 'Frenchness' emerged through 2,000 years of history and it is this riveting story, from the Roman conquest of Gaul to the present day, that Cecil Jenkins tells: of the forging of this great nation through its significant people and events and and its fascinating culture.
As he unfolds this narrative, Jenkins shows why the French began to see themselves as so different from the rest of Europe, but also why, today, the French face the same problems with regard to identity as so many other European nations.
The idea of 'Frenchness' emerged through 2,000 years of history and it is this riveting story, from the Roman conquest of Gaul to the present day, that Cecil Jenkins tells: of the forging of this great nation through its significant people and events and and its fascinating culture.
As he unfolds this narrative, Jenkins shows why the French began to see themselves as so different from the rest of Europe, but also why, today, the French face the same problems with regard to identity as so many other European nations.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2011
150 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Cecil Jenkins
13 books14 followersI was educated at Trinity College Dublin, plus postgraduate work at the Ecole Normale Superieure de Paris. I have taught at university level in Paris, then at Exeter and Sussex, with year as visiting prof at UBC Vancouver.
My literary interests are in French and German as well as in English, but I am also interested in philosophy, history and politics.
A former soccer player, I enjoy various sports as well the theatre and the cinema.
I am married with a daughter and twin sons, and I now live - rather to my surprise - in the bourgeois arty pseudo-village of Hampstead in London, UK.
My literary interests are in French and German as well as in English, but I am also interested in philosophy, history and politics.
A former soccer player, I enjoy various sports as well the theatre and the cinema.
I am married with a daughter and twin sons, and I now live - rather to my surprise - in the bourgeois arty pseudo-village of Hampstead in London, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 5, 2021
Cecil Jenkins has written an easy-to-read short history that will be of great use to those that have little to no knowledge of modern France. I would also suggest it is a good refresher for anyone looking to reread after a long absence from reading any French history. As usual with these “A Brief History” series we get things short, sharp but concise. The history is presented in chronological order, we are presented with two maps but there are no illustrations. A time line of events would have been handy. The end notes and bibliography are competent. The title A Brief History of France People, History and Culture is relevant as both its peoples and their cultural impact are well covered.
This history was published in 2011 so is fairly recent and thus useful to those looking for anything fairly topical. I had recently listened to a podcast on revolutionary France hence my need to read a brief history. One criticism I would make is that it has not given enough pages to pre Sun King era France. The text proper is 309 pages and pre Sun King ends at page 64. The final two chapters also make France’s more recent history after de Gaul feel positively tame compared to its very turbulent past.
Be that as it may, the seemingly recent idyllic times have to be better than the turbulent but very interesting history that is France in the past.
Recommended to anyone that needs to read a useful overview of this iconic nation. Vive la France.
This history was published in 2011 so is fairly recent and thus useful to those looking for anything fairly topical. I had recently listened to a podcast on revolutionary France hence my need to read a brief history. One criticism I would make is that it has not given enough pages to pre Sun King era France. The text proper is 309 pages and pre Sun King ends at page 64. The final two chapters also make France’s more recent history after de Gaul feel positively tame compared to its very turbulent past.
Be that as it may, the seemingly recent idyllic times have to be better than the turbulent but very interesting history that is France in the past.
Recommended to anyone that needs to read a useful overview of this iconic nation. Vive la France.
November 12, 2015
I'm too damn familiar with British history, I told myself recently. Time to branch out!...My branch didn't stretch too far.
The histories of France and England are deeply entwined (which always seemed odd to me considering how very different are their people, language, food, etc), so reading about France's history wasn't exactly like taking a trip to another galaxy. Since declaring nationhood, their almost constant warring would always insure some old familiar atrocity to ground my sense of time and place.
With that kind of background knowledge in place, I wasn't looking for any especially thorough or comprehensive history on France and that's just what I got in A Brief History of France. Very brief. Not particularly thorough. That's all right! There's a place, time and person for this kind of history-quickie and I'm it!
The real problem with this book revealed itself fairly early. It's uneven. In chapter one, within a few slim pages, we get the entirety of human civilization in the French region summed up in the quick mention of some cave paintings recently discovered. There ya go, a nice tidy summation of a couple million years. Then it jumps directly into Roman Gaul with a page or so on Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix. With the whole Roman Empire and its rule over Gaul taken care of, we now move into Medieval France, where Charlemagne and the early chivalric knights roamed. And all those hundreds and thousands of years are, not only lumped in with all of prehistory, but it's all jammed together in one twenty page chapter. I was a little miffed, so I flipped ahead and discovered that the period after the second world war up to the present, approximately 70 years worth, takes up 100 pages and an entire third of the whole book! So yeah, as I said, this is uneven.
Another issue, and it's minor, is the casual tone. I don't think I've ever read a history text before that referred to a historical figure in terms of their "bitchiness".
War, huh yeah, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing, you say Edwin Starr? Wrong! War is good for history books. That shit really fills the pages! It's all over this mother. I suppose that's not Cecil Jenkins' fault. I blame the French.
The histories of France and England are deeply entwined (which always seemed odd to me considering how very different are their people, language, food, etc), so reading about France's history wasn't exactly like taking a trip to another galaxy. Since declaring nationhood, their almost constant warring would always insure some old familiar atrocity to ground my sense of time and place.
With that kind of background knowledge in place, I wasn't looking for any especially thorough or comprehensive history on France and that's just what I got in A Brief History of France. Very brief. Not particularly thorough. That's all right! There's a place, time and person for this kind of history-quickie and I'm it!
The real problem with this book revealed itself fairly early. It's uneven. In chapter one, within a few slim pages, we get the entirety of human civilization in the French region summed up in the quick mention of some cave paintings recently discovered. There ya go, a nice tidy summation of a couple million years. Then it jumps directly into Roman Gaul with a page or so on Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix. With the whole Roman Empire and its rule over Gaul taken care of, we now move into Medieval France, where Charlemagne and the early chivalric knights roamed. And all those hundreds and thousands of years are, not only lumped in with all of prehistory, but it's all jammed together in one twenty page chapter. I was a little miffed, so I flipped ahead and discovered that the period after the second world war up to the present, approximately 70 years worth, takes up 100 pages and an entire third of the whole book! So yeah, as I said, this is uneven.
Another issue, and it's minor, is the casual tone. I don't think I've ever read a history text before that referred to a historical figure in terms of their "bitchiness".
War, huh yeah, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing, you say Edwin Starr? Wrong! War is good for history books. That shit really fills the pages! It's all over this mother. I suppose that's not Cecil Jenkins' fault. I blame the French.
February 4, 2017
A delightful, very cute brief overview of the history of one of the most beautiful, enchanting and cultured Countries on Earth, a Country that played such a pivotal role in the development of the European Civilization: France.
This little book (just a little over 300 pages) manages brilliantly to condense much interesting and relevant information about the main historical developments and character of this fascinating country; the overall narrative tends to be weighted towards early modern, modern and contemporary France, but the major stages of French history are all treated to some extent, with admirable conciseness and precision.
Being such a relatively little book, the author has been forced to be highly selective, however I think that he managed to capture all the most relevant events, and to explain convincingly and accurately how France developed its unique social, political and cultural style and outlook throughout the centuries.
The only real issue with this book is the lack of timeline and of maps (excusable to some extent given the size of the book, I guess).
Overall, a job well done for such a small book with such an ambitious scope: a very enjoyable, breezy and interesting read, well written with clarity, passion and conciseness.
4 stars.
This little book (just a little over 300 pages) manages brilliantly to condense much interesting and relevant information about the main historical developments and character of this fascinating country; the overall narrative tends to be weighted towards early modern, modern and contemporary France, but the major stages of French history are all treated to some extent, with admirable conciseness and precision.
Being such a relatively little book, the author has been forced to be highly selective, however I think that he managed to capture all the most relevant events, and to explain convincingly and accurately how France developed its unique social, political and cultural style and outlook throughout the centuries.
The only real issue with this book is the lack of timeline and of maps (excusable to some extent given the size of the book, I guess).
Overall, a job well done for such a small book with such an ambitious scope: a very enjoyable, breezy and interesting read, well written with clarity, passion and conciseness.
4 stars.
March 28, 2019
TThis year I am reading a few novels set around or on the French Revolution, after posting my thoughts on the first one, Hugo’s Les Misérables, I realised how little I knew about this and wanted to correct it.
I selected this book to have a better understanding of what led up to the revolution and what happened afterwards. I did not have high hopes to understand most of it, I was wrong. Jenkins writes in an easy style. In just over 300 pages he surveys French history, after mentioning Cro Magnon, he starts with Roman Gaul and feudalism. Then he explains how the country expanded as one royal house is changed to another, meantime showing a widening social chasm which leads to the revolution. But it’s not a happy ending, its goals are tainted with power and bickering and takes many more decades of uncertainty and revolutions before a kind of a stable Republic is reached. I say kind of because right through the second decade of the 21stC it’s a rocky path made difficult with some global obstacles as it tries to grapple with its own national identity.
The surprise for me in this book was how Jenkins also highlighted French art and literature within the social context, so it touched on existentialism and various art movements started in France, ending with a commentary on the quality of current literature. It was surprising as it gave me new insights into the Impressions and Realists which I have not seen in my art books.
Overall, knowing very little about France, I read it from a neutral point of view, as a starting point and just found it interesting. Throughout I got the sense that Jenkins tried to stay objective in his commentary. Also, I couldn’t help being impressed with how 14 of the 15 chapters averaged 20 pages in length, somehow Jenkins managed to tell this very complicated history in a succinct and clear way. I came away with a better sense of what France has gone through to help me with the remainder of my fiction reads.
I selected this book to have a better understanding of what led up to the revolution and what happened afterwards. I did not have high hopes to understand most of it, I was wrong. Jenkins writes in an easy style. In just over 300 pages he surveys French history, after mentioning Cro Magnon, he starts with Roman Gaul and feudalism. Then he explains how the country expanded as one royal house is changed to another, meantime showing a widening social chasm which leads to the revolution. But it’s not a happy ending, its goals are tainted with power and bickering and takes many more decades of uncertainty and revolutions before a kind of a stable Republic is reached. I say kind of because right through the second decade of the 21stC it’s a rocky path made difficult with some global obstacles as it tries to grapple with its own national identity.
The surprise for me in this book was how Jenkins also highlighted French art and literature within the social context, so it touched on existentialism and various art movements started in France, ending with a commentary on the quality of current literature. It was surprising as it gave me new insights into the Impressions and Realists which I have not seen in my art books.
Overall, knowing very little about France, I read it from a neutral point of view, as a starting point and just found it interesting. Throughout I got the sense that Jenkins tried to stay objective in his commentary. Also, I couldn’t help being impressed with how 14 of the 15 chapters averaged 20 pages in length, somehow Jenkins managed to tell this very complicated history in a succinct and clear way. I came away with a better sense of what France has gone through to help me with the remainder of my fiction reads.
January 15, 2024
Intelligent and cultural. At first repetitive. Mostly modern history.
February 14, 2023
Going through a slight obsession with France at the moment and this book most definitely opened my eyes to the contributing factors that make French culture so unique. Bit heavy on the literary / sociopolitical aspects of French history though and appreciate not a fault of the author but there’s just too many kings called Louis.
December 15, 2022
For what this book is, it is perfect. It's a brief history of France, as promised. The one feature that I didn't understand at first was how the history of France through the revolution could take up only the first 144 pages of the book. As I read further, I understood how roughly half the book could be about the most current 100 years of history, more or less. When I think of France, I still think about the revolution, but obviously, that was hundreds of years ago and, although an extremely important part, just one part of French history. I ended up finding the second half of the book more interesting, which surprised me. I didn't think I'd be as interested in the world wars, the Cold War, or the most current (at the time of publication in 2011) events. I found the history of unknown (to American me) conflicts and politics fascinating. I knew France's politics were complex, but I had no idea how complex or how polarized French politics were. I learned a lot about the backdrop of why France didn't support U.S. going into Iraq, a problem I remember from the post-9/11 days. I learned about why France is known for having so many strikes and the basis for the immigration concerns.
My only complaint about this book goes back to what I said at first--it's brief. Each chapter could be its own book and, in fact, has been. The other complaint is that Jenkins writes these offhand comments about intriguing events that I think he's going to explain, but then, he moves on. Like, he'll say, "There was a candidate for president who ran off the road on his bike and hit his head on a mushroom" and then keep talking about something else (that didn't actually happen, but it was fun to make up). This happens throughout the book where he drops these intriguing events but then doesn't explain them. Again, that's part of the "brief" quality, I guess, but why mention them at all if he wasn't going to actually write about them?
Overall, I loved this book, even the brief statements about weird events, because it makes me want to know even more about France. At first, I thought this book would satisfy my curiosity about a country that I know something about due to having studied the language for so many years. However, reading this book actually piqued my curiosity even more as I realized that I know very little about France, especially after the Revolution and Napoleon. And I learned so much more about the Revolution than I realized there even was to know, gathering that the reasons behind the revolution were so much more complex than I already knew them to be and than traditional American histories make them out to be. I also thought it was interesting that Jenkins cites The Coming of the French Revolution because I read that book and took it to heart, but Jenkins states that Lefebvre's analysis of the revolution is politicized and interpretive, which I didn't even realize as I read that book years ago. It was fascinating to read another author's take on that book and made me second-guess yet again what I knew or accepted about the reasons behind one of the most famous revolutions that has ever taken place. I'm not saying this correctly, but I guess what I'm saying is that historians, of course, have a point of view, and I think there are widely-accepted interpretations of the French Revolution that people don't question, but the whole situation was so much more complex than can ever be pinned down with one explanation or point-of-view, and while Lefebvre's book looked at the event from one angle, Jenkins' book acknowledges that the limited scope is dangerous and doesn't confine his explanations to one viewpoint. Not just about the revolution but about anything, really.
Even though this book was published in 2011, and the history ends with Sarkozy as president and Jenkins questioning what will happen to France in the second decade of the new millennium, I still think it's a valuable read because Jenkins provides a great overview, and he seems to be neutral politically or at least able to write an unbiased account, which is important when writing about a country like France. I strongly recommend this to history lovers, to people who are studying French, to people who know something of France and want to learn more, to people who care about global history and politics, and to people who want to find a more specific area of interest within French history without reading a ton of books first to find one.
*Oh, and it took me forever to read this book because I was reading other books, and this got pushed aside. But, once I started reading it with the Leio app, I flew through it, comparatively speaking. I am obsessed with that app and use it to help me with books that are more challenging to get through. It's been helping me with Jude the Obscure too. I'm so happy I read about that app on GR years ago!*
My only complaint about this book goes back to what I said at first--it's brief. Each chapter could be its own book and, in fact, has been. The other complaint is that Jenkins writes these offhand comments about intriguing events that I think he's going to explain, but then, he moves on. Like, he'll say, "There was a candidate for president who ran off the road on his bike and hit his head on a mushroom" and then keep talking about something else (that didn't actually happen, but it was fun to make up). This happens throughout the book where he drops these intriguing events but then doesn't explain them. Again, that's part of the "brief" quality, I guess, but why mention them at all if he wasn't going to actually write about them?
Overall, I loved this book, even the brief statements about weird events, because it makes me want to know even more about France. At first, I thought this book would satisfy my curiosity about a country that I know something about due to having studied the language for so many years. However, reading this book actually piqued my curiosity even more as I realized that I know very little about France, especially after the Revolution and Napoleon. And I learned so much more about the Revolution than I realized there even was to know, gathering that the reasons behind the revolution were so much more complex than I already knew them to be and than traditional American histories make them out to be. I also thought it was interesting that Jenkins cites The Coming of the French Revolution because I read that book and took it to heart, but Jenkins states that Lefebvre's analysis of the revolution is politicized and interpretive, which I didn't even realize as I read that book years ago. It was fascinating to read another author's take on that book and made me second-guess yet again what I knew or accepted about the reasons behind one of the most famous revolutions that has ever taken place. I'm not saying this correctly, but I guess what I'm saying is that historians, of course, have a point of view, and I think there are widely-accepted interpretations of the French Revolution that people don't question, but the whole situation was so much more complex than can ever be pinned down with one explanation or point-of-view, and while Lefebvre's book looked at the event from one angle, Jenkins' book acknowledges that the limited scope is dangerous and doesn't confine his explanations to one viewpoint. Not just about the revolution but about anything, really.
Even though this book was published in 2011, and the history ends with Sarkozy as president and Jenkins questioning what will happen to France in the second decade of the new millennium, I still think it's a valuable read because Jenkins provides a great overview, and he seems to be neutral politically or at least able to write an unbiased account, which is important when writing about a country like France. I strongly recommend this to history lovers, to people who are studying French, to people who know something of France and want to learn more, to people who care about global history and politics, and to people who want to find a more specific area of interest within French history without reading a ton of books first to find one.
*Oh, and it took me forever to read this book because I was reading other books, and this got pushed aside. But, once I started reading it with the Leio app, I flew through it, comparatively speaking. I am obsessed with that app and use it to help me with books that are more challenging to get through. It's been helping me with Jude the Obscure too. I'm so happy I read about that app on GR years ago!*
February 1, 2020
A well written survey of French history. Weighted towards the French Revolution, 19th and 20th centuries, it certainly provides for a firm grounding for whomever wishes to acquaint themselves with French culture, and a good point-of-departure to investigate any topic in more depth. Largest complaint is the emphasis on economics and politics, and not enough discussion of cultural contributions to the arts, literature, cinema, music, which is covered very superficially. Also images were in dire need. There was only a single map provided of the country at the forward. There should have been many many images, pictures, diagrams, maps, etc, to aid in getting a more concrete idea of the people, events, places, etc. Overall an enlightening read.
June 17, 2022
A concise overview of French history from prehistory to the modern era. As is the case with all books in the "Brief History" series, details are sometimes lacking, and interesting periods can often be glossed over. This book should be taken as an introductory text which can prompt a reader to explore further if there is an area of particular interest. This was a great read to refresh my French history before our holiday to France. Would certainly recommend this book in that capacity.
January 2, 2023
This is a fairly decent reference for French history. It summarizes in a competent way the major historical beats, though it should not be relied upon for details. I wish the section for WW1 was given more time, considering it's importance and the large proportion that was fought on French soil.
What I really did enjoy was the more detailed look at French political history post-1870, and the increased focus on post-1945 France. I am less familiar with this modern era so I found it very informative. However, I do wish it had left out its analysis and prophetical takes in the last couple chapters.
What I really did enjoy was the more detailed look at French political history post-1870, and the increased focus on post-1945 France. I am less familiar with this modern era so I found it very informative. However, I do wish it had left out its analysis and prophetical takes in the last couple chapters.
August 8, 2023
Compared against John Julius Norwich's France A History : From Gaul to de Gaulle, A Brief History of France. An Introduction to the People, History & Culture by Cecil Jenkins is more comprehensive and expanded than the former,albeit both books serves as introduction for France. Jenkins also emphasized more on how philosophy and the impact of French Revolution in 18th century in shaping the modern France as we known today. Although a bit sluggish to read initially, but still considered a highly recommended book,in my opinion,to be read by anyone who want to start reading or studying France especially its history,philosophy,culture,politic and people.
July 4, 2022
Very brief stories on France’s history, lots of gateways into learning more.
December 30, 2018
Read this mainly to get my French kings straight. It served its purpose.
January 17, 2024
Who would have thought that the culprit was globalism?
Not me… not me at all…
Not me… not me at all…
February 22, 2017
From Les Eyzies-de-Tayac’s National Museum of Prehistory, early Gaul leader Vercingétorix, and Clovis’ creation of the Frankish Kingdom; to Jacques Chirac’s and Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency and the threat of the ‘Americanization’ of French culture, Cecil Jenkins’ sumup of France: People, History and Culture covers quite a bit in only 309 pages.
Cecil pulls from several resources to give us a balanced view of French history and culture. Without too many romantic leanings or criticisms, he lays out French history as a logical, methodical series of human interactions in relation to the ever-changing world around it–however, at times, stubbornly fixed in unchanging political ways.
From the tribes of Gaul to the end of the monarchy, World War II and the latest economic crisis; Jenkins’ chronology is punctuated by political scandals, international faux pas, societal and global advancements, and the artistic translation of the times as seen though the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, Impressionism, Existentialism and Relativism.
His writing is concise and very entertaining. France: People, History and Culture is a wonderful introduction to everything French. Through Ceil Jenkins’ pristine and focused lens we are reminded that human interaction, both personal and political, is a never ending pursuit to enrich the world around us. The point is to learn from our mistakes, evolve, and do our utmost best to avoid repeating the terrible blunders of our past.
Cecil pulls from several resources to give us a balanced view of French history and culture. Without too many romantic leanings or criticisms, he lays out French history as a logical, methodical series of human interactions in relation to the ever-changing world around it–however, at times, stubbornly fixed in unchanging political ways.
From the tribes of Gaul to the end of the monarchy, World War II and the latest economic crisis; Jenkins’ chronology is punctuated by political scandals, international faux pas, societal and global advancements, and the artistic translation of the times as seen though the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romanticism, Impressionism, Existentialism and Relativism.
His writing is concise and very entertaining. France: People, History and Culture is a wonderful introduction to everything French. Through Ceil Jenkins’ pristine and focused lens we are reminded that human interaction, both personal and political, is a never ending pursuit to enrich the world around us. The point is to learn from our mistakes, evolve, and do our utmost best to avoid repeating the terrible blunders of our past.
June 6, 2018
France Is An Exceptional Country And This Book Explains Why.
I have recently spent a delightful month in France. What is it about this country that stands it in contrast to the hard, winner takes all capitalism of the Anglosphere?(Britain and the US.) Reading this book certainly provides some of the answers to that question and in a way that is a very enjoyable read as well. It is one of the excellent “Brief History” series of book of which contains approximately 70 titles. It packs a lot of information into its 300 tightly written pages.
The books follows the evolution of France from a loose collection of feudal fiefdoms to a centralised state ruled by an absolute monarch in the form of Louis XIV the “Sun King”. To quote the Author:
“At a fundament level, he [Louis] did indeed believe that a king derived his authority directly from God. So ‘kings are absolute rulers who can naturally dispose of all property, secular or ecclesiastical’ and the ruled are bound to absolute obedience. Since he is answerable to God for the discharge of his role he is not entitled to divest himself of his sacred responsible by passing it to another. Louis was his own Prime Minister. What Louis did with the blessing of prominent Catholic theologian Bishop Bossuet was to take Christian monarchy with its divine right of kings as far as it could go.”
Needless to say the corruption and nepotism of this hereditary based system of privilege was not admired by the growing numbers of middle class bourgeoise created by the rapidly industrialising society. This ultimately resulted in the republican revolution of 1789. I liked the author’s colourful description of Talleyrand, Nepoleon’s foreign minister as example of the corruption that had developed in French aristocracy of the ‘Ancien Regime’ prior to revolution.
“He may seem today to have been corrupt an old camembert, but in taking bribes for his services he was following a custom of the time and his attitudes owe much to his background. An aristocrat who lost his rights as the oldest son because of a club foot and had to make do, though an atheist, with being made bishop of Autun at the age of thirty five, which entailed the inconvenience of a three-day visit to the place.”
Needless to say, the Catholic church which acted like to cheer leader for the aristocracy were given their marching orders by the republicans of the 1789 revolution. This author believes was a mistake, as the republicans should have made an effort to ally themselves to the village priests who were also deeply offended by the behaviour of the church hierarchy. This would have prevented nearly 150 years of subsequent conflict between the French Catholic Church and the republicans. One person to find the middle ground was Napoleon. When he came to power and he set about transforming the country, the authors writes:
“He made a concordat with the Pope which brought the church back into the national community under State supervision. And in appointing bishops he insisted they should actually believe in God.”
For the next 130 years after the revolution, the country swung between the extremes of hard left secular communism and hard right dictatorships. The right wing reached its nadir with the Vichy government who ruled in association with the German NAZI party and the French Catholic Church during Work War II. To quote the author, Petain, the leader of the Vichy government had more power than the Sun King, Louis XIV and during his reign:
“He was busily unscrambling the 1789 Revolution in order to establish the ‘new moral order’ of his ‘National Revolution’. The republic’s motto ‘Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite’ was now replaced by the Croix de Feu’s trio of ‘Travail, Famille, Patrie’ or Work, Family and Fatherland, in that redemptive order. ‘Travail’ implied healthy agricultural toil. The right to strike was abolished as were trade unions to discourage any idea of class struggle. ‘Famille’, accordingly, implied the traditional peasant unit, now strengthened by family allowances, restrictions to divorce, the criminalisation of abortion and an insistence that a woman’s place was in the home. All this was further reinforced by the scrapping of free secondary education and State teacher training colleges, and the granting afresh to religious bodies of the right to teach and of subsidies to Catholic schools which inevitably involved rewriting school textbooks to remove any republican bias. As for ‘Patrie’, since it was necessary to ‘give France back to the French’, that meant taking steps to exclude gypsies, communists, Freemasons and, above all Jews.”
The reaction to the appalling behaviour of the elites of the Vichy government caused the church to finally abdicate its claim to a role in government and the demands for privileges to an elite ruling class faded into the background.
Since the dark days of the Vichy government and World War II, France has transformed itself. The author points out that “France is a republic which is indivisible, secular, democratic and social” as defined in the preamble of the constitution of the current and fifth republic. The French “are not subjects but citizens having equal right and responsibilities”. This means “they are defined as members of a collectivist society”. This collective heritage developed over 150 years of struggle is what the author defines as the ‘French Exception’ which stands their society in contrast to many other nations and particularly the hard individualistic capitalist Anglosphere nations that they take delight in deriding.
This is a very well written book and I recommend it to any one who is interested in understanding why the French feel they are exceptional. If you visit French for any period of time you will come to agree that they are not deluded. The concluding chapters of the book discusses whether this situation will persist or they will be swamped by the forces of globalisation. I share the author’s hope that the French people can resist these forces.
September 25, 2025
Concise, comprehensive overview of a country with surprisingly recursive political patterns--reactionary and revolutionary movements that strike a familiar note right now.
Having very little background in the history of France, it was a great book to place art, landmarks, cultural observations in a rich context as I revisited Paris and Reims this year.
Having very little background in the history of France, it was a great book to place art, landmarks, cultural observations in a rich context as I revisited Paris and Reims this year.
September 1, 2013
Jenkins does an admirable job compressing two millennia of French history into one volume. This is definitely a "great man" approach to history—the narrative is almost entirely focused on political history and political leaders. Jenkins has a confident touch, and one gets a clear sense of which realities changed and which persisted as one moves from era to era.
The pace of the narrative slows, however, as one approaches the present. Major themes of the Fifth Republic are highlighted, particularly in the penultimate chapter, which analyzes the nature and contradictions of the "French exception." I came away with an appreciation for the richness and complexity of French history and how this historical patrimony continues to exert influence on the present.
The pace of the narrative slows, however, as one approaches the present. Major themes of the Fifth Republic are highlighted, particularly in the penultimate chapter, which analyzes the nature and contradictions of the "French exception." I came away with an appreciation for the richness and complexity of French history and how this historical patrimony continues to exert influence on the present.
February 22, 2017
History of France as seen from the British Isles. Approximately half of the book is devoted to modern history (the 20th century) which probably .makes sense for the "brief" format.
July 1, 2020
This book gives you everything the title advertises: a brief history of the events, ideological movements, and people of France, from a largely political perspective (the brief parts of each chapter that cover cultural development do so as a way to better explain political developments). After reading I feel as if I have much richer understanding of how the French and France got to where they are today. Everything from Louis IX to Sarkozy was particularly interesting, especially the common thread of strong executives who see France as being distinct from its neighbors (Louis XIV, Napoleon, Napoleon III, Clemenceau, Petain, De Gaulle, Mitterand, and Sarkozy). I also thought the common thread between the Catholic Conservatives v the Progressive Republicans/Socialists was interesting. The French Revolution's reverberations were really felt in France until World War II and arguably until now.
Though I have focused on the characters, Jenkins does not limit himself to "Great Man" history, but also discusses the greater waves of history and how they impacted the events and the players of the time. So, there was definitely balance in that sense.
The one part of French history I find particularly odd but understandable at the same time is its treatment of minorities. There is a strand, unique from Britain and the US at least, of French nationalism that rears its ugly head against all those who do not fit under traditional notions of what it means to be French. There was immense violence against protestants for centuries, against Jews, and against North Africans and West Africans. Furthermore, it seems as if the French's view of women is quite distinct from that of the other core EU countries (there has only been one woman PM and 0 women presidents; their employment numbers are far worse than other countries; etc). So while being to the left of Europe in many senses, they are also more conservative in others (gender relations being the most obvious, but also its refusal to let go of some of its far flung colonies).
I find France quite interesting, second only to Russia in Eurasia. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gaining baseline knowledge about French history and culture.
Though I have focused on the characters, Jenkins does not limit himself to "Great Man" history, but also discusses the greater waves of history and how they impacted the events and the players of the time. So, there was definitely balance in that sense.
The one part of French history I find particularly odd but understandable at the same time is its treatment of minorities. There is a strand, unique from Britain and the US at least, of French nationalism that rears its ugly head against all those who do not fit under traditional notions of what it means to be French. There was immense violence against protestants for centuries, against Jews, and against North Africans and West Africans. Furthermore, it seems as if the French's view of women is quite distinct from that of the other core EU countries (there has only been one woman PM and 0 women presidents; their employment numbers are far worse than other countries; etc). So while being to the left of Europe in many senses, they are also more conservative in others (gender relations being the most obvious, but also its refusal to let go of some of its far flung colonies).
I find France quite interesting, second only to Russia in Eurasia. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in gaining baseline knowledge about French history and culture.
June 27, 2018
Read it as part of travel reading before going to France. It does a decent job of giving you an idea of major arches in French history. I liked how he puts the cultural paradigms in perspective with the contemporary political and social changes. French history in itself is quiet interesting. It was a revelation to learn about the amount of churn it has undergone in last 225 odd years!
The book is quiet heavy on the post revolution part. The continuous procession of people in and out of power does begin to grate a bit on you after a while but I am not sure if it is possible to do a better job or if the French situation is pretty extraordinary in that regard!
The book spends little to no time on the IndoChina colonial past of France though Algeria does get some coverage. Having been to Cambodia and Vietnam, and seeing how France is a big part of historical consciousness in those parts, it almost feels like a betrayal. Also the sheer hypocrisy of not only expanding the empire after French revolution but continuing to cling to their colonies even after WWII is something I still need to wrap my head around. And this is when they were busy gifting the statue of liberty to USA.
Not the most enjoyable history book I read but it did the job of acquainting me with enough French history to enjoy my trip more.
The book is quiet heavy on the post revolution part. The continuous procession of people in and out of power does begin to grate a bit on you after a while but I am not sure if it is possible to do a better job or if the French situation is pretty extraordinary in that regard!
The book spends little to no time on the IndoChina colonial past of France though Algeria does get some coverage. Having been to Cambodia and Vietnam, and seeing how France is a big part of historical consciousness in those parts, it almost feels like a betrayal. Also the sheer hypocrisy of not only expanding the empire after French revolution but continuing to cling to their colonies even after WWII is something I still need to wrap my head around. And this is when they were busy gifting the statue of liberty to USA.
Not the most enjoyable history book I read but it did the job of acquainting me with enough French history to enjoy my trip more.
June 29, 2017
A detailed narrative about the events and forces that constantly shaped and reshaped over the course of centuries what becomes modern-day France. Cutting through all the clichés about Frenchness, French romance and French work ethic, we will explore through this book a land rich in cultural and historical heritages. From the cro-magnon beginning through the Medieval Age, the Enlightenment, the Revolution, the Napoleonic hegemony in Europe,the Great Wars to finally the modern French Fifth Republic and endless bitter divisions and bloody struggles in between, France has always been playing a crucial role in the inextricably intertwined international geo-political affairs that evolve constantly. To understand the country, we have to look at it in European and global contexts. This book does just that, and even more.
Strongly recommended for fans of history and culture, especially those of France. Be prepared to devour a great deal of tongue-twisting names and jargon. But I guess that is part of the fun when one reads this genre of books!
Strongly recommended for fans of history and culture, especially those of France. Be prepared to devour a great deal of tongue-twisting names and jargon. But I guess that is part of the fun when one reads this genre of books!
August 24, 2020
🇫🇷 Stručná história Francúzska je úplne výstižný názov pre tento cca 300-stranový paperback. Prevedie nás dejinami toho, čo bolo najskôr len rôznorodo osídlené územie dnešného Francúzska až po novodobé udalosti modernej republiky. Tých bolo na môj vkus celkom dosť, podrobné informácie o posledných 4-5 prezidentoch vyplnili minimálne poslednú štvrtinu knihy.
👩💻 Musím sa priznať, že som knihou celkom bojovala (čítala som ju postupne vyše roka), hoci s čítaním v angličtine nemám väčšie problémy. Chýbal mi možno štruktúrovanejší text a hlavne ilustrácie, aby sa všetci tí panovníci dobre pamätali. Mám teda stručný prehľad histórie Francúzska, ako názov knihy prisľúbil, no už hľadám ďalšiu, a hlavne obrázkovú publikáciu, aby sa mi to v hlave lepšie uložilo.
💡 Na Martinuse knihu síce nekúpite – ja som si ju kúpila v Shakespare & Co pri mojej poslednej návšteve Paríža – ale internet vám určite dá tip, kde najbližšie je dostupná.
👩💻 Musím sa priznať, že som knihou celkom bojovala (čítala som ju postupne vyše roka), hoci s čítaním v angličtine nemám väčšie problémy. Chýbal mi možno štruktúrovanejší text a hlavne ilustrácie, aby sa všetci tí panovníci dobre pamätali. Mám teda stručný prehľad histórie Francúzska, ako názov knihy prisľúbil, no už hľadám ďalšiu, a hlavne obrázkovú publikáciu, aby sa mi to v hlave lepšie uložilo.
💡 Na Martinuse knihu síce nekúpite – ja som si ju kúpila v Shakespare & Co pri mojej poslednej návšteve Paríža – ale internet vám určite dá tip, kde najbližšie je dostupná.
August 22, 2019
The history of France is very interesting and important in understanding how the French view themselves as an integral part of the modern world. The author does a relatively good job of ensuring that he covers off on literature, art and social values in addition to the political history. However the writing style of the author makes this a difficult read. His use of commas and sentences with multiple concepts/ideas lacks clarity and breaks up the flow. I certainly wouldn't adopt his writing style or hire his editor...
July 2, 2020
Un espectacular relato de la formación, el desarrollo y el presente de una de las naciones más importantes de la historia de la Humanidad. Bien documentado y mejor relatado. Nos ayuda a entender por qué Francia ha tenido un peso tan importante en el desarrollo de la civilización y la cultura contemporáneas, y por qué encontramos influencias galas en todos los aspectos de nuestra vida. Además, a quienes ya teníamos cierta francofilia, nos lleva a experimentar una admiración aún más grande por Francia y su cultura.
January 13, 2018
This provided a breadth but not depth of pre-WW2 history. More then 1/3 of the book is after 1945. Feel like this is a shame because in early chapters, I would have enjoyed a longer look at the monarchy, the revolutions and some more medieval France.
While I learned some new things about France, which was my goal in reading this book, it is not the most enjoyable of the "brief history" books I've read.
While I learned some new things about France, which was my goal in reading this book, it is not the most enjoyable of the "brief history" books I've read.
January 31, 2021
A tidy concise history of France which delves into the politics of the country over the last 100 years and summarises the impact of the French Revolution, the Reformation and older times such as the Roman emporor had. This is a good starting point for those who want to learn a little more about France, but it'll leave you with a sense of only having scraped the barrel. I did not get a grasp of the culture of the country from reading this book either. Still, well written and very interesting.
July 18, 2019
We spent a few days in Paris and Normandy this winter and I realized I was totally deficient in French History. I picked up this book at the Catacombs gift shop and dug in. It was a good initial orientation- at times Jenkins veered into topics that did not interest me. Overall, I have a better grasp if current French politics, the multiple revolutions, and the deeper historical roots.
April 2, 2021
Agréable surprise. Même s'il s'agit d'un survol, le livre offre un point de vue intéressant. J'ai bien apprécié l'insistance sur le XXe et le XXIe siècles. L'écriture est divertissante. Parfois j'ai regretté ne pas avoir de références sur ce qui était présenté comme des faits, j'aurais aimé vérifier.
December 19, 2025
Very good. French history is quite interesting and Jenkins does not bore you to tears with unnecessary details; this book remains pretty straight-forward and accessible. The modern period gets more love than anything before Napoleon, which was a bit of a bummer for me, but that is alright. I have enjoyed this, althought it was quite a cumbersome read at certain chapters.
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