The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography, from the Revolution to the First World War by Graham RobbMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Two things that I took fro The Discovery of France are 1) that France's conception of itself as a coherent country (not just a collection of small pays/) is a relatively recent development, and 2) the level of harshness and brutality of life in the near past. Life expectancy past the thirties, speedy travel and more than subsistence level food are something we take for granted, but didn't exist even 150 years ago. A fascinating book.
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