French History - Recommended Books or DVDs
 

Our French tourguide at Versailles was so interesting and I would like to learn more about the history of France. Can anyone recommend any interesting books or DVDs?

film: Queen Margot, based on Dumas's book La Reine Margot

"The Three Musketeers"--my favorite film version was the one with Richard Chamberlain and Michael York

Nancy Mitford wrote a great biography a long time ago about Louis XIV, called
"The Sun King." She also wrote one on Madame de Pompadour.

Simon Schama wrote a great book on the French Revolution a few years ago, name was "Citizens".

I found Christopher Hibbert's "Days of the French Revolution" quite interesting and readable, to the point of regretting not having paid attention in high school world history.

While not history in the sense we are talking, I do recommend "The Piano Shop On The Left Bank" by Thad Carhart, Random House 2001. A great narrative of an American moving to Paris, and how he slowly came to be accepted by neighbors, after learning the customs, and the history of Paris and France, through a piano and shop. He deliberately never reveals the actual location of the piano shop to protect the privacy of the real people, and I tried like crazy to find it one trip to Paris a few years ago; the book was that good.

I just returned from Paris, July 17. While there I was desperate for a book to read (had read both my paperbacks on the plane over). While in the gift shop in Versailles, I picked up Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinete: The Journey. It's a doorstop size, but was so interesting and appropriate. I went back to Museum Carnavalet after finishing it just because I had such a better understanding of Louis XVI and the Revolution.

ISBN # 0-775381-305-X

William L. Shirer's "Collapse of the Third Republic" takes you from about 1850 to l940.

<u>A Distant Mirror</u> and <u>The Guns of August</u> by Barbara Tuchman

Earth-shaking 14th- and 20th-century events.

Great list! Thanks so much. They all sound very interesting. Can't wait to get started reading.

I almost forgot. <u>Is Paris Burning?</u> by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. How Paris came within millimeters of being turned to rubble in August, 1944.

There's a recent thread on books and films about France--you might be able to find it. Lots of good suggestions.

Lots of great recommendations here, particularly the Tuchman works IMO.

After you're done with the history reading if you want to read a book about a somewhat more contemporary Paris try &quot;Paris to the Moon&quot; by Gopnik.

Try &quot;Seven Ages of Paris&quot; by Alistair Horne. The author has written several books on Paris and this received many praises. You can find reviews, etc. at:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...428714-9115110

&quot;The Price of Glory&quot; by Alistair Horne. To understand France you must have some knowledge of WWI (the book is about Verdun).

&quot;Napoleon&quot; by Felix Markham.

&quot;The Road from the Past: Traveling through History in France&quot; by Ina Caro.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg.../-/0156003635/

It is a combination of history and travel guide, fascinating and very readable. Caro starts in Provence to explore Roman history in France and traces the history of French civilization by visiting many other sites throughout the country. It was the book I most enjoyed on a recent trip to the Loire.

&quot;Serpent and the Moon&quot; by Princess Michael the Duchess of Kent. Evidently, Diane dePortiers was an ancester. I enjoyed it.

I had to go to Amazon to get a name to recomment. I'm reading it right now but couldn't remember the writer.
&quot;The Essence of Style&quot;... by Joan DeJean
So far, entertainingly written and very interesting.

Last night we watched &quot;A Very Long Engagement&quot; with Audrey Tatou for the second time.

You might want to watch Stanley Kubrik's 1957 movie &quot;Paths of Glory&quot; for an interesting comparison.