This stimulating onevolume history traces the social and economic evolution ofFrance as a nation from the founding of the monarchy in 987 to the presentday. Aga... » 

This stimulating onevolume history traces the social and economic evolution ofFrance as a nation from the founding of the monarchy in 987 to the presentday. Against a background of structural change Goubert etches a vivid accountof key events and personalities. His perspective is a popular one and his maininterest is in how political events and famous people affect the nation as awhole. The book incorporates the findings and perspectives of recentmonographic studies with clarity and precision but it is Gouberts ownjudgements direct forceful and iconoclastic which make this an invaluabletext. «