The French Mind
400 Years of Romance, Revolution and Renewal
Peter Watson
![Cover Art for 9781471128974, The French Mind by Peter Watson](https://cdn.booko.info/covers/7c51627d93a51f89/v/600.jpeg)
ISBN: | 9781471128974 |
Publisher: | Simon & Schuster UK |
Published: | 10 September, 2015 |
Format: | Hardcover |
Language: | English |
Editions: |
4 other editions
of this product
|
The French Mind
400 Years of Romance, Revolution and Renewal
Peter Watson
We are endlessly fascinated by the French. We are fascinated by their way of life, their creativity, sophistication and self-assurance, and even their insistence that they are exceptional. But how did France become the country it is today, and what really sets it apart? Journalist and historian Peter Watson sets out to answer these questions in The French Mind, a dazzling history of France that takes us from the seventeenth century to the present day through the nationtsquo;s most influential thinkers. He opens the doors to the Renaissance salons that were a breeding ground for poets, philosophers and scientists, and tells the forgotten stories of the extraordinary succession of women who ran these institutions, fostering a culture of stylish intellectualism unmatched anywhere else in the world. Itnsquo;s a story that takes us into Bohemian cafes and cabarets, into chic Parisian high culture via French philosophies of food, fashion and sex, while growing unrest hastens the bloody birth of a republic. From the 1789 revolution to the country squo;s occupation by Nazi Germany, Watson argues that a unique series of devastating military defeats helped shape the resilient, proud, innovative character of the French. This is a history of breathtaking ambition, propelled by the characters Watson brings to vivid life: the writers, revolutionaries and painters who loved, inspired and rivalled one another over four hundred years. It documents the shaping of a nation whose global influence, in art, culture and politics, cannot be overstated.
Shop Preferences
Customize which shops to display. You can include the following shops by logging in to change your settings.