Discovery of France

'An extraordinary journey of discovery' - Daily Telegraph'Pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . dazzling' - The Sunday TimesTen years ago, I began to explore the country on which I was supposed to be an authority . . .France is a country famous for its intellectuals, its philosophers and writers, its fashion, food and wine. And yet the notion of 'the French' as one nation is relatively recent and - historically speaking - quite misleading. In order to discover the true past of France, Graham Robb realized it was necessary not only to go back in time, but also to go at a slower pace than modern life generally allows. The Discovery of France - illuminating, engrossing and full of surprises -is the result of Robb's 14,000-mile journey across France on a bicycle.Winner of both the Duff Cooper and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje prizes, The Discovery of France is a modern non-fiction classic, a literary exploration of a remarkable nation. From maps and migration to magic, language and landscape, it reveals a France few will recognize.Part of the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the best of modern literature

Exhilarating . . . a stunning journey through the historical landscape of France., Elegant, entertaining and occasionally brilliant., At once history, psychogeography, itinerary and cabinet of curiosities . . . will delight even the most indolent armchair traveller., A dazzling and moving contribution to a long tradition., There's any amount of treasure to be found here.

Graham Robb was born in Manchester in 1958 and is a former fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. He has published widely on French literature and history. The Discovery of France won both the Duff Cooper and Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prizes. For Parisians the City of Paris awarded him the Grande Médaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border.