France on the Brink: A Great Civilization in the New Century by Jonathan Fenby (PDF)

Description

This completely revised and fully updated edition of the book Bill Bryson called “superb” presents a sharply insightful, authoritative portrait of France today as it struggles to live up to its vision of itself amid storm clouds that won’t go away.France on the Brink was chosen as a New York Times book of the year and hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “a comprehensive and entertaining diagnosis of what ails French society” when the first edition was published at the turn of the century. Since then, the crisis enveloping France has only worsened, and this second edition, completely revamped to cover the developments of the past fifteen years, offers a fresh assessment of where the nation stands. New chapters chart political developments under Presidents Chirac, Sarkozy, and Hollande; the rise of the hard right National Front; and the unrelenting economic woes that have led to unprecedented levels of disillusion and fragmentation. The country’s social evolution is covered comprehensively, with description and analysis of urban and rural life, regional divisions, tensions over immigration and the fading of the symbols that denoted France’s greatness.High unemployment, an archaic economic system, a self-selecting governing class unable to handle serious problems, and a debilitating clash between individualism and the powerful state machine that was built on a foundation reaching back to the Revolution of 1789 continue to plague the nation, making it less able than ever to fulfill its role as a world leader. The economic crisis and the European Union’s ongoing fiscal instability, as well as a parade of scandals at the top, have left it weaker than ever halfway into the second decade of the new century.Jonathan Fenby has covered France for fifty years. In this new edition, he offers a loving though candid and unvarnished picture of the nation, contrasting its glorious past with current realities. He explores not only the problems and the challenges but also the opportunities that lie ahead if only its political class can finally face reality—and carry the people along with them. Filled with contemporary and historical anecdotes, France on the Brink depicts the many contradictory aspects of the world’s most complex, seductive, and sometimes infuriating country, and will give even the most knowledgeable Francophile plenty to think about.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history–books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “The most comprehensive and entertaining tour [of France] to appear in a long time . . . A searching diagnosis for what ails French society.”—Wall Street Journal“Fascinating, . . . a fine, immensely readable work of reportage.”—Boston Globe“A highly readable description of France’s current travails, full of vivid portraits and anecdotes.”—Washington Post Book World About the Author Jonathan Fenby reported from France for a variety of newspapers, including the Economist, Christian Science Monitor, Times of London, Guardian, and London Observer. Married to a Frenchwoman, he was, to his surprise, made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur and the Ordre du Mérite in 1990. He is also the author of acclaimed biographies of Chiang Kai-shek and Charles de Gaulle—called a “page-turner” by the New York Times Book Review, which wrote: “Fenby knows how to turn breadth and depth into enthrallment.”—among other works. He lives in England.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I was hoping for an insightful analysis of recent French history, but instead this seems to be at heart an opinion piece by a foreigner, who apparently does not approve of the economic and lifestyle choices the French have made, but either doesn’t understand or doesn’t want to disclose his prejudices or reasons for disapproval. There are lots of statistics here, but only selective context, which is incomplete and one-sided. Yes in many ways the French economy is different from its competitors, but this has to be understood in the context of cultural preferences. For example, the 35-hour work week is presented as some sort of evil, even though the average French person might consider the family time to be well worth the cost. In many ways the book presents unrelenting negativity about a nation that is, in many ways, very successful and is obviously sustainable since it has been, and continues to be, sustained.The economic point of view here is very conventional for someone who may have a corporate-conservative U.S. or UK perspective. This makes it appear that the author simply is frustrated that France is successful for its citizens in spite of its failure to adhere to the author’s orthodoxy. The author asks whether France will ever wake up and recognize the wisdom of the author’s goals; but France probably wonders whether neo-liberals and corporatists will ever relax and get to know their kids.France has its problems, for sure, but the author lists so many things that it is difficult for a reader to sort through what is really a problem and what is a choice. The book has some potential in all its statistics and facts, so it is not a total waste of time. But I do not think, in the end, it adds to any deep understanding of the French psyche or its future.

⭐Superb book. Wanted to find a detailed analysis of modern France — exploring France’s (recent — last 20-50 years) history and politics, its economy and why its economy seems to be performing so poorly, as well as how French society has evolved over the past 20-50 years. This book provided just what I was looking for — highly recommend it.

⭐Jonathan Fenby has covered France and its government and economy for fifty years. When the first edition of this book was released in 2000, it was a New York Times Book Of The Year. This second edition, written fourteen years later, updates the original book and looks at the current state of France. Like many countries, France is struggling in the modern world with the globalization of economies. The number of individuals making their living on farms has decreased dramatically, and with that comes the struggle of villages and small towns. There are less manufacturing jobs, and one quarter of those employed work in government jobs. Unemployment is high and seems intractable. The government has given benefits such as the thirty-five hour workweek and then struggles to deal with the fallout of such policies as money to pay for them becomes scarcer. The political landscape seems full of politicians who promise change and hope but then cannot deliver. Power moves from the conservative to the liberal but neither seems able to make a difference that the population can embrace. Fenby goes into great detail about the power struggles for the last fifteen years and the Presidents such as Chirac, Sarkozy and Hollande. Each is elected to great fanfare and then within months their approval ratings start to slip until they are defeated by the next politician to promise solutions. Readers interested in France will find much of interest in this work. Fenby talks about the rise of ultra-right which bases its platform on anti-immigration policies as well as the food France is known for and the scandals that seem to be everyday fare. He covers the war years and France’s treatment of the Jews in that time period. He talks about how the national symbols of France seem to be disappearing as it tries to reinvent itself to remain viable in the modern economy. In his long career covering France, Fenby worked as the bureau chief in France for the Economist and Reuters. He is married to a Frenchwoman and was made a Chevalier of the French Order Of Merit in 1990. This book is recommended for history readers and those interested in the world around them.

⭐France on the Brink by Jonathan Fenby was a fascinating read. Although I think I’m pretty knowledgeable about current events and political situations there were many interesting things that I did not know about France, french culture and french people. I found this book to be very interesting and very informative. It’s 400 plus pages so there is a wealth of information. What distinguished this book for me was the authors voice throughout. It felt like a very personal journey through France and its history.Fenby deals with a lot of tough topics and he is very honest and candid about some of the aspects of France that aren’t as glamorous as expected. I specifically fond it very interesting that such a high number of french people are looking to retire outside of France. The discontent with French politics was very interesting but I personally think that this discontentment could be shared with a large part of Europe. I found his portrait of Chirac to be very blunt and straightforward.One of my favorite parts was the wealth of french culture and history, it was described with such richness that its easy to see why France is still revered. One aspect that I found a little surprising was the ethnic diversity and also some of the prejudices held. I found this to be a little surprising. If anyone is looking to learn and read about the current situation of french life this is a must read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned much more than I had expected.

⭐This book is a thorough, well-written description of France’s society, culture, and politics, and an excellent review of its history in the 20th and 21st centuries. It’s been fully updated as of 2014, taking events right down to the present. I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone who wants to learn more about France today.

⭐This is an excellent portrait of France from the end of the war until the end of Hollande’s presidency. Fenby analyses the forces in French politics and explains their origins very clearly. It is interesting, too, that he writes about the changes in everyday life, the disappearance of small bakers, and other such developments, so lucidly. I learnt great deal about the frustrations of the people who live in the bandies and feel marginalised. He writes well about the anti-semitism and the role the French played under the Nazis, in rounding up the Jews. Lastly, Fenby simply writes well. The book is a pleasure to read.

⭐brillant book, but this is really for someone who already knows a lot about French politics and culture. This book will take you to black belt karate level where you will then know more than just about all French people. Because it dares say things that are not spoken about in France, or more crucially, it makes links and draws implications more than anything i have ever seen. This book should be compulsory lecture for French voters before they vote again, and for French politicians during their time in jail.

⭐Not easy reading but interesting and fact full!

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