The Shortest History of France

From ‘glorious defeat’ in 52 BCE at the hands of Julius Caesar to the somewhat unexpected triumph of the 2024 Paris Olympics, The Shortest History of France charts more than two millennia of eventful and surprising history.

Climate and the colonies, religion and the economy, intellectuals and immigrants, sans culottes and gilets jaunes Colin Jones expertly navigates the territory, showing that the nation’s glories owe as much to its openness to outside influence as to any innate genius. This is a timely, accessible and eye-opening history of our nearest neighbour.