'This a vivid, perceptive and highly personal piece of writing, excellent as an introductory text which seeks to enthuse the uninitiated.' - Modern & Contemporary France'Vivid, entertaining and forceful, it combines the broad sweep of history with detailed examination of the key events and personalities.' - France'Elegant, witty and reflective' - The Observer'Manages to be sumultaneously pithy and accurate, satirical and dispassionate, summary and all-embracing.' - Literary Review'Lively, well-written, satirical and profound.' - Emmanuel Le Roy

• List of genealogies, List of maps, 1. France under the early Capetians: 987–1180, 2. The apogee of medieval France: the thirteenth century, 1180–1314, 3. The misfortunes of the fourteenth century, 4. The fifteenth century: a kingdom reborn from the ashes, 5. The ‘beautiful’ sixteenth century: 1494–1552, 6. Difficult times: 1560–1610 937. From Good King Henry to the Sun King: 1598–1661, 8. The pleasant seasons of a great reign: 1661–1688, 9. Autumn of the great century: 1689–1715, 10. The age of Louis XV: 1715–1774, 11. Louis XVI: 1774–1792, 12. The Revolution during peacetime: 1789–1792, 13. Revolution and war: 1792–1799, 14. France against Europe: the Napoleonic era, 1800–1815, 15. France in the nineteenth century: a panorama, 16. France under Napoleon III: 1851–1870, 17. From debacle to revenge: 1870–1914, 18. From the Great War to the near present (1914–1987), Bibliography, Index

'This a vivid, perceptive and highly personal piece of writing, excellent as an introductory text which seeks to enthuse the uninitiated.' - Modern & Contemporary France'Vivid, entertaining and forceful, it combines the broad sweep of history with detailed examination of the key events and personalities.' - France'Elegant, witty and reflective' - The Observer'Manages to be sumultaneously pithy and accurate, satirical and dispassionate, summary and all-embracing.' - Literary Review'Lively, well-written, satirical and profound.' - Emmanuel Le Roy

• List of genealogies, List of maps, 1. France under the early Capetians: 987–1180, 2. The apogee of medieval France: the thirteenth century, 1180–1314, 3. The misfortunes of the fourteenth century, 4. The fifteenth century: a kingdom reborn from the ashes, 5. The ‘beautiful’ sixteenth century: 1494–1552, 6. Difficult times: 1560–1610 937. From Good King Henry to the Sun King: 1598–1661, 8. The pleasant seasons of a great reign: 1661–1688, 9. Autumn of the great century: 1689–1715, 10. The age of Louis XV: 1715–1774, 11. Louis XVI: 1774–1792, 12. The Revolution during peacetime: 1789–1792, 13. Revolution and war: 1792–1799, 14. France against Europe: the Napoleonic era, 1800–1815, 15. France in the nineteenth century: a panorama, 16. France under Napoleon III: 1851–1870, 17. From debacle to revenge: 1870–1914, 18. From the Great War to the near present (1914–1987), Bibliography, Index

'This a vivid, perceptive and highly personal piece of writing, excellent as an introductory text which seeks to enthuse the uninitiated.' - Modern & Contemporary France'Vivid, entertaining and forceful, it combines the broad sweep of history with detailed examination of the key events and personalities.' - France'Elegant, witty and reflective' - The Observer'Manages to be sumultaneously pithy and accurate, satirical and dispassionate, summary and all-embracing.' - Literary Review'Lively, well-written, satirical and profound.' - Emmanuel Le Roy

• List of genealogies, List of maps, 1. France under the early Capetians: 987–1180, 2. The apogee of medieval France: the thirteenth century, 1180–1314, 3. The misfortunes of the fourteenth century, 4. The fifteenth century: a kingdom reborn from the ashes, 5. The ‘beautiful’ sixteenth century: 1494–1552, 6. Difficult times: 1560–1610 937. From Good King Henry to the Sun King: 1598–1661, 8. The pleasant seasons of a great reign: 1661–1688, 9. Autumn of the great century: 1689–1715, 10. The age of Louis XV: 1715–1774, 11. Louis XVI: 1774–1792, 12. The Revolution during peacetime: 1789–1792, 13. Revolution and war: 1792–1799, 14. France against Europe: the Napoleonic era, 1800–1815, 15. France in the nineteenth century: a panorama, 16. France under Napoleon III: 1851–1870, 17. From debacle to revenge: 1870–1914, 18. From the Great War to the near present (1914–1987), Bibliography, Index