Awards

• Long-listed for BBC Four Samuel Johnson Prize 2008 (UK)
• Winner of Duff Cooper Prize 2008 (UK)

Overview

'An extraordinary journey of discovery' - Daily Telegraph 'Pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . dazzling' - The Sunday Times Ten years ago, I began to explore the country on which I was supposed to be an authority . . . France is a country famous for its intellectuals, its philosophers and writers, its fashion, food and wine. And yet the notion of 'the French' as one nation is relatively recent and - historically speaking - quite misleading. In order to discover the true past of France, Graham Robb realized it was necessary not only to go back in time, but also to go at a slower pace than modern life generally allows. The Discovery of France - illuminating, engrossing and full of surprises -is the result of Robb's 14,000-mile journey across France on a bicycle. Winner of both the Duff Cooper and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje prizes, The Discovery of France is a modern non-fiction classic, a literary exploration of a remarkable nation. From maps and migration to magic, language and landscape, it reveals a France few will recognize. Part of the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the best of modern literature

Full Product Details

Author:   Graham Robb
Publisher:   Pan Macmillan
Imprint:   Picador
Dimensions:   Width: 13.00cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 19.70cm
Weight:   0.336kg
ISBN:  

9781035039197

ISBN 10:   1035039192
Pages:   496
Publication Date:   08 August 2024
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Section - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Maps Section - iii: Itinerary Chapter - 1: The Undiscovered Continent Chapter - 2: the Tribes of France, I Chapter - 3: The Tribes of France, II Chapter - 4: O Òc Sí Bai Ya Win Oui Oyi Awè Jo Ja Oua Chapter - 5: Living in France, I: The Face in the Museum Chapter - 6: Living in France, II: A Simple Life Chapter - 7: Fairies, Virgins, Gods and Priests Chapter - 8: Migrants and Commuters Unit - INTERLUDE: The Sixty Million Others Chapter - 9: Maps Chapter - 10: Empire Chapter - 11: Travelling in France, I: The Avenues of Paris Chapter - 12: Travelling in France, II: The Hare and the Tortoise Chapter - 13: Colonization Chapter - 14: The Wonders of France Chapter - 15: Postcards of the Natives Chapter - 16: Lost Provinces Chapter - 17: Journey to the Centre of France Section - iv: Epilogue: Secrets Section - v: Chronology Section - vi: Notes Section - vii: Works Cited Index - viii: General Index Index - ix: Geographical Index Acknowledgements - x: Acknowledgements

Reviews

Exhilarating . . . a stunning journey through the historical landscape of France. * Independent * Elegant, entertaining and occasionally brilliant. * The Observer * At once history, psychogeography, itinerary and cabinet of curiosities . . . will delight even the most indolent armchair traveller. * Telegraph * A dazzling and moving contribution to a long tradition. * The Sunday Times * There's any amount of treasure to be found here. * Evening Standard * A gently mesmerising, always brilliant exposition, and a vibrant biography of forgotten France. * The Herald * An astute sociological catalogue, and an extraordinary journey of discovery. * Irish Independent * An astonishing, eccentric book . . . Robb carries the reader along on flawless prose. * The Times * Beautifully written and truly eccentric. * Times Literary Supplement * A fascinating diversion. * Daily Mail * Robb is a fascinating and hugely knowledgeable guide to a country that we only thought we knew. * London Review of Books *

Author Information

Graham Robb was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a former fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has published widely on French literature and history. The Discovery of France won both the Duff Cooper and Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prizes. For Parisians the City of Paris awarded him the Grande Médaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border.

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