
A Bite-Sized History of France
Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
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Narrated by:
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Derek Perkins
About this listen
From the cassoulet that won a war to the crêpe that doomed Napoleon, from the rebellions sparked by bread and salt to the new cuisines forged by empire, the history of France is intimately entwined with its gastronomic pursuits. A witty exploration of the facts and legends surrounding some of the most popular French foods and wines by a French cheesemonger and an American academic, A Bite-Sized History of France tells the compelling and often surprising story of France from the Roman era to modern times. Traversing the cuisines of France's most famous cities as well as its underexplored regions, this innovative social history explores the impact of war and imperialism, the age-old tension between tradition and innovation, and the enduring use of food to prop up social and political identities.
The origins of the most legendary French foods and wines - from Roquefort and cognac to croissants and Calvados, from absinthe and oysters to Camembert and champagne - also reveal the social and political trends that propelled France's rise upon the world stage. They help explain France's dark history of war and conquest, as well as its most enlightened cultural achievements and the political and scientific innovations that transformed human history. These gastronomic tales will edify even the most seasoned lovers of food, history, and all things French.
©2018 Stéphane Hénaut and Jeni Mitchell (P)2019 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
In 1940, France fell to the Nazis and almost immediately the German army began a campaign of pillaging one of the assets the French hold most dear: their wine. Like others in the French Resistance, winemakers mobilized to oppose their occupiers, but the tale of their extraordinary efforts has remained largely unknown - until now. This is the thrilling and harrowing story of the French wine producers who undertook ingenious, daring measures to save their cherished crops and bottles as the Germans closed in on them.
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Good story, terrible performance
- By Sean on 05-28-12
By: Donald Kladstrup, and others
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France
- An Adventure History
- By: Graham Robb
- Narrated by: Tom Lawrence
- Length: 17 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Beginning with the Roman army's first recorded encounter with the Gauls and ending in the era of Emmanuel Macron, France takes listeners on an endlessly entertaining journey through French history. Robb conveys with wit and precision what it felt like to look over the shoulder of a young Louis XIV as he planned the vast garden of Versailles, and the dangerous thrill of having a seat at the French revolution. Some of the protagonists may be familiar, but appear here in a very different light—Caesar, Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte, General Charles de Gaulle.
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This is not a history book.
- By Michael on 04-12-25
By: Graham Robb
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Danubia
- A Personal History of Habsburg Europe
- By: Simon Winder
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 22 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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From the end of the Middle Ages to the First World War, Europe was dominated by one family: the Habsburgs. Their unprecedented rule is the focus of Simon Winder's vivid third book, Danubia. This is a narrative that, while erudite and well researched, prefers to be discursive and anecdotal. In his survey of the centuries of often incompetent Habsburg rule which have continued to shape the fate of Central Europe, Winder does not shy away from the horrors, railing against the effects of nationalism, recounting the violence that was often part of life.
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Magnificent history of the Habsburg Empire
- By Skeptical on 10-25-18
By: Simon Winder
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The Louvre
- The Many Lives of the World's Most Famous Museum
- By: James Gardner
- Narrated by: Graham Halstead
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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The fascinating and little-known story of the Louvre, from its inception as a humble fortress to its transformation into the palatial residence of the kings of France and then into the world's greatest art museum.
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Enlightening
- By Jean on 10-29-20
By: James Gardner
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A Brief History of France
- Empires, Kings, and Revolutions
- By: Dominic Haynes
- Narrated by: Vivica Reimann
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Unearth the incredible story of France – from Celtic pre-history to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the modern day. Authentically written with gripping prose and the latest historical facts, this fascinating book invites you on a journey through the ages to discover the intense, turbulent, and often bloody history of a European juggernaut. Shedding light on the fascinating world of French culture and politics – from their mysterious Celtic origins to their rise as a Medieval superpower.
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The chronological explanations
- By Corinne F. on 09-15-24
By: Dominic Haynes
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The Pursuit of Italy
- A History of a Land, Its Regions, and Their Peoples
- By: David Gilmour
- Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
- Length: 19 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Did Garibaldi do Italy a disservice when he helped its disparate parts achieve unity? Was the goal of political unification a mistake? These questions are asked and answered in a number of ways in this engaging, original consideration of the many histories that contribute to the brilliance - and weakness - of Italy today. David Gilmour's exploration of Italian life over the centuries is filled with provocative anecdotes as well as personal observations.
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Good history: Tough Narration
- By C.S. on 11-12-18
By: David Gilmour
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On Spice
- Advice, Wisdom, and History with a Grain of Saltiness
- By: Caitlin PenzeyMoog
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Every home cook has thoughts on the right and wrong ways to use spices. These beliefs are passed down in family recipes and pronounced by television chefs, but where do such ideas come from? Many are little better than superstition, and most serve only to reinforce a cook's sense of superiority or cover for their insecurities. It doesn't have to be this way. These notes On Spice come from three generations of a family in the spice trade, and dozens upon dozens of their collected spice guides and stories.
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Yummy!
- By amanda j green on 11-17-24
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History of France
- A Captivating Guide to French History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Jason Zenobia
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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France has influenced the course of history in Europe and the world for centuries. Considered one of the world’s most beautiful countries and home to some of the world’s most visited tourist locations, France has enthralled and fascinated the people who’ve discovered that, in many ways, the history of France encompasses both the good and bad in the human character.
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A Quick Overview of French History - Great Reader
- By JJares on 06-23-21
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Parisians
- An Adventure History of Paris
- By: Graham Robb
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the Paris you never knew. From the Revolution to the present, Graham Robb has distilled a series of astonishing true narratives, all stranger than fiction. A young artillery lieutenant, strolling through the Palais-Royal, observes disapprovingly the courtesans plying their trade. A particular woman catches his eye; nature takes its course. Later that night, Napoleon Bonaparte writes a meticulous account of his first sexual encounter....
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Difficult....but worth it
- By Myrna Minkoff on 10-11-10
By: Graham Robb
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Off Menu
- The Secret Science of Food and Dining
- By: Nell McShane Wulfhart
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Original Recording
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Off Menu is a charming, fun-fact-filled deep dive into the little-known science of food and dining: why we eat what we eat, the nuances of our experience of taste and flavor, and the tiny, easy hacks and tweaks that, when mastered, can make a huge difference in our diets, meals, and relationships with food and drink.
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Excellent secret weapon... life hack!!
- By Bonmeister on 11-14-20
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Adventures on the Wine Route (25th Anniversary Edition)
- A Wine Buyer's Tour of France
- By: Kermit Lynch
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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"Wine is, above all, about pleasure. Those who make it ponderous make it dull.... If you keep an open mind and take each wine on its own terms, there is a world of magic to discover." So wrote the renowned wine expert Kermit Lynch in the introduction to Adventures on the Wine Route, his ultimate tour of France, especially its wine cellars. The "magic" of wine is Lynch's subject as he takes the listener on a singular journey through the Loire, Bordeaux, the Languedoc, Provence, northern and southern Rhone, and Burgundy.
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Finally!
- By Mark on 01-18-21
By: Kermit Lynch
What listeners say about A Bite-Sized History of France
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Loriefangio
What a wonderful book! I enjoyed it so much! Thank you for the history and insight.
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- David
- 01-12-20
Great stories, but...
The authors must be extreme leftists. It seems at every possible chance they trashed the right winged political party Fronte Nationale. I don’t mind personal political views, left or right, but the constant bashing got old fast. I would have been just as disappointed if there was constant bashing of left wing political parties.
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24 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 02-23-20
Wonderful and insightful
Put many french dishes into historical context and helped accurately paint the picture of French Cuisine as a melting pot. Was happy to be provided with a further understanding of the class struggles when it comes to food inequality as well.
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- Arnie
- 02-19-22
Hungry for fromage!
I love to cook with wonderful ingredients. This book was fun and informative about much beloved wines, cheeses and eating habits! The historical references related to the how and why certain foods gained popularity was interesting.
Having been to Paris three times made the history come alive again!
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- Ingrid
- 04-03-21
Not enough food History
Interesting overall with some exciting food origins but at the end we go back to a History Book. I expected more of a culinary experience, a travel in History through food but it was more of History Book with some french classic food stories here and there
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2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 01-28-23
Absolutely outstanding!
What an enjoyable read. I had low expectations for this book but it is now one of my new favorites. Author does a beautiful job of blending history with food in a journey that leaves you hungry for French cuisine while learning the basics of French history.
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- Tara
- 02-14-20
History of France, in bite-size.
Listening to the introduction, I thought this book would focus more toward all the different food ingredients and dishes of France. I was looking forward to a culinary tour tied into regional history and culture. Instead, it's a book of French history, tied into their food culture, and thus given in "bite-size". It's still a very interesting book filled with many interesting pieces of information, but it's not what I expected and not what the book's introduction led me to believe it would be.
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- Paul
- 05-25-20
Engaging
A very nice stroll through culture, history, and food. Though the narrative wanders into many side alleys, the gems revealed in each is worth every detour. And every one is tied back into the overall fabric of narrative history in clever and interesting ways. Recommended.
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- 333meg
- 03-03-20
A must listen for French food lovers!
I really enjoyed this book. I new a lot of the information already, but some I did not. I love history, almost as much as food, so the weaving of the two of them together was lovely.
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- M
- 02-07-23
What an awesome book!!! And the narrator was exceptionally good!!
Awesome awesome book!! Narrator was exceptional!!! Love it and have shared with many others thank you!!
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