A review by alliepeduto
A History of France by John Julius Norwich

4.0

It’s is rare to find a history book that is both informative and funny in equal parts, but the late John Julius Norwich has undoubtedly pulled it off. I generally take pride in my overall knowledge of European history, but this book rightly put me in my place. I didn’t even know that there was a Second French Empire, to be perfectly honest; post Revolution to WWI I knew absolutely nothing about. Luckily that’s why I read this book! I highly recommend to anyone who is interested is high-level French history. It is (relatively) short and presents the facts in a concise (and often very funny) way. Certainly it is a testament to the author’s expansive knowledge and love for the French that this book is as wonderful as it is.