John Bonner

Don’t be put off by this book’s original title of “The *Child’s* History of France”, because as the publishers who renamed it – and added three new chapters extending the period covered – state, there’s no reason why anyone with patchy knowledge of French history(like me), or even less so, shouldn’t enjoy this “easy read”. It’s not likely to appeal to anyone highly familiar with the topic in question, though.

The most detailed section in this otherwise series of brief accounts throughout the history of France is, unsurprisingly, the Napoleonic years and the French Revolution, which I had already read about in more depth, but still became engaged with these topics again, as I’m sure I will in other books.

The author’s style at times feels like second person, or as though he’s writing as he would if sitting at the front of a class and relating stories. I think this is effective.

At times his way of explaining something comes across as amusing. For example:

“His mother, wicked Constance, flew into such rages at being
baffled in her object - she had not often been crossed in
her angry life - that she went home and died.”

Note: I don’t find it funny that she died, but the way the author phrases the above strikes me as funny, as does the following:

"When the end came, she told her confessor that she forgave her enemies; but when he advised her to send a ring to Richelieu in token of forgiveness, she answered, ‘That is too much,’ and turned her face to the wall and died.”

The author also impressed me with some of his personal opinions, of which he shares many throughout, making a change from 100 footnotes per page. I especially found myself agreeing with this opinion:

“You know that you cannot change men's religious faith by making war upon them; our Saviour never told his disciples to make war on those who differed from them his religion was a religion of peace.”

In short, this isn’t a tome for serious academics, but rather one for anyone with a general interest in France’s pre-1920s’ history.… (plus d'informations)