La Belle France

A useful and charming introduction to a nation that has oh-so-definitely helped make the modern world what it is... Horne does a service in helping the reading navigate the complexities of French history. —Los Angeles TimesFrom the aclaimed British historian and author of Seven Ages of Paris comes a sweeping grand narrative written with all the verve erudition and vividness that are his hallmarks. It recounts the hugely absorbing story of the country that has contributed to the world so much talent style and political innovation.Beginning with Julius Caesar’s division of Gaul into three parts Horne leads us through the ages from Charlemagne to Chirac touring battlefields from the Hundred Years’ War to Indochina and Algeria and giving us luminous portraits of the nation’s leaders philosophers writers artists and composers. This is a captivating beautifully illustrated and comprehensive yet concise history of France.