The Story of French
by Jean-Benoit Nadeau, Julie Barlow
List Price:
Our Price: $5.99
You Save: $10.00 (63%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.50 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Jean-Benoit Nadeau, Julie BarlowEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-08
ISBN: 0312341849
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Book Reviews of The Story of French
Book Review: A readable social history of French
Summary: 3 Stars
The Story of French describes the ongoing process of the creation of an international language. Extending from the fall of the Roman Empire up to the present-day , the authors mix history with a clever eye to how the past has prepared the way for the present condition of the French language. It is benefited by years of on-site study from Canada and Africa to East Asia - and of course, France.
The book is full of interesting historical tidbits. For the lover of applied history, this book has a lot to offer. I would have liked to see more on the early languages and dialects that birthed French, as that time period always interests me more than the modern period. But of necessity, well supported by the authors, heavy emphasis is put on the period from 1700 to the present, which have seen French grow to be more than just the hallmark of high society and scholarship, becoming first a truly national language, and then with fits and starts developing into an international language, increasing the possible influence of French-speaking nations even as France itself wanes in direct influence.
Knowing French is not required to read this book, though it won't hurt. A familiarity with French phonetics is probably more helpful than any other facet of French. The authors do address a number of features of French around the world, such as the use ofargot and regional dialects, changes in spelling and grammar and differences in approaches to vocabulary development around the French-speaking world (especially contrasting Quebec and France).
English naturally takes a large role in this book, and the authors seem torn at times between viewing it as friend, or at least amicable companion, or foe. They solidly portray French as not being opposed to English, and even benefiting from its ascent. At the same time, English is often presented as anever-present competitor for the hearts and minds of those within international organizations such as the United Nations.
The facts and opinions presented are definitely biased by a distance from France. Benoît is from Quebec, a fact that repeatedly plays into his relationships and conversations with French speakers around the world. This at some points works well with the point the author is trying to make, but this is not always the case. For instance, I found Benoît to be overly critical of the French Academy's usefulness, even when he was clear about its purpose and mission.
Also, I found that the book often strays from topic - or at least takes extended side trips. For example, descriptions of the many scientific achievements of Frenchmen likely intended to show that French once was and continues to be a language conducive to scientific discourse. However, it continued for many pages, failing to circle back to the main focus. While many sections were very well organized and had just the right balance between supporting information and historical assertions, this was not always the case.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed reading it, and getting a better feel for how history and the language itself are intertwined.
France Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in France Books
Paris journal (A Harvest book ; HB 360)by Janet Flanner
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich; Published: 1977; Paperback; Book
Best price: $39.00
Down and Out in Paris and London (Penguin Modern Classics)by George Orwell
Penguin Group(CA); Published: 2001-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.58
Price in other shops:
Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grand Armeeby John R. Elting
Free Press; Published: 1988-08-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $53.89
Madame De Pompadourby Christine P Algrant
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2003-07-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.30
Lost King of Franceby Deborah Cadbury
Harper Collins Audio; Published: 2002-10-21; Audio Cassette; Book
Lost King of France, The: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVIIby Deborah Cadbury
Fourth Estate Ltd; Published: 2002; Paperback; Book
Foreign Fieldby Ben MacIntyre
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2002-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $42.70
The Frenchby Theodore Zeldin
The Harvill Press; Published: 1983-01-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $39.95
The Napoleonic Wars (Cassell History of Warfare)by Gunther Rothenberg
Cassell; Published: 1999-12-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $25.94
Price in other shops:
Eiffel's Tower: The Thrilling Story Behind Paris's Beloved Monument and theExtraordinary World's Fair That Introduced Itby Jill Jonnes
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2010-04-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.33
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (New Edition)by Benedict Anderson
Verso; Published: 2006-11-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.49
Price in other shops:
French for Readingby Karl C. Sandberg, Eddison C. Tatham
Prentice Hall; Published: 1997-06-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $38.00
Price in other shops:
Cultural Misunderstandings: The French-American Experienceby Raymonde Carroll
University Of Chicago Press; Published: 1990-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.22
Price in other shops:
The French Way : Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Frenchby Ross Steele
McGraw-Hill; Published: 2004-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.65
Price in other shops:
Speak the Culture: France: Be Fluent in French Life and Cultureby Andrew Whittaker
Thorogood; Published: 2008-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.56
Price in other shops:
Talk to the Snail: Ten Commandments for Understanding the Frenchby Stephen Clarke
Bloomsbury USA; Published: 2006-12-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.90
Price in other shops:
Modern France: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)by Vanessa R. Schwartz
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2011-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
The Discovery of France: A Historical Geographyby Graham Robb
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2008-10-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.69
Price in other shops:
Exercises in French Phonicsby Francis W. Nachtman
Stipes Pub Llc; Published: 1981-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.45
Price in other shops:
Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the Frenchby Jean-Benoit Nadeau, Julie Barlow
Sourcebooks, Inc.; Published: 2003-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.74
Price in other shops: