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.

Jonathan Fenby, journalist and Francophile, has been studying and reporting on the country for over thirty years. In these pages he lovingly but candidly offers an unvarnished picture of modern France, setting it in the context of its glorious past. He explores the problems and challenges it faces, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead. Filled with historical and contemporary anecdotes, France on the Brink depicts the many contradictory aspects of the country so many people love but also love to hate. Even those who know France well will find in its pages hundreds of fascinating Gallic tidbits that will inform, amuse, and enlighten.

A fun, informative guide to Europe’s past and present. The history of Europe is rich, complex, vibrant, and at times violent; it has influenced many countries throughout the world and has itself been influenced by many countries. In the light-hearted European History For Dummies, historian Sean Lang explores the countries, conflicts, people, institutions, disasters, and triumphs that have helped shape modern-day Europe, packing in tons of facts alongside the fun. Chapters range from "Celts without Kilts" and "What a Way to Run a Republic!" to "I Capture Quite a Few Castles," "Reformation Ruckus," and "The War to End All Wars." Sean Lang, the author of British History For Dummies (0-7645-7021-8), is also a history lecturer, examiner, and writer.

On 10 May 1940, the French possessed one of the largest air forces in the world. On paper, it was nearly as strong as the RAF. Six weeks later, France had been defeated. For a struggling French Army desperately looking for air support, the skies seemed empty of friendly planes. In the decades that followed, the debate raged. Were there unused stockpiles of planes? Were French aircraft really so inferior? Baughen examines the myths that surround the French defeat. He explains how at the end of the First World War, the French had possessed the most effective air force in the world, only for the lessons learned to be forgotten. Instead, air policy was guided by radical theories that predicted air power alone would decide future wars. Baughen traces some of the problems back to the very earliest days of French aviation. He describes the mistakes and bad luck that dogged the French efforts to modernise their air force in the twenties and thirties. He examines how decisions made just months before the German attack further weakened the air force. Yet defeat was not inevitable. If better use had been made of the planes that were available, the result might have been different.

Charged with murder and hiding out in the Mexican wilderness, Texas Ranger Danny Cavanaugh contemplates eating a bullet in the exact spot his father did years ago. But when he sees something strange at the nearby converted monastery, the cop inside him takes over. As he investigates, he meets a nearly naked woman running for her life. A judge in the International Court of Justice, Sydney Dumas thought she was there to discuss a secret lawsuit Japan is bringing against the United States. Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., a robbery attempt at the Library of Congress becomes an unimaginable test for newly elected President Jack Butcher. The nearly stolen document is a lost article of the U.S. Constitution, which contains evidence the Founding Fathers foresaw certain collapse for their new country. As Danny and Sydney race toward Washington, D.C. to reach President Butcher, they are hunted by a relentless killer dispatched by an organization known as The Group; they have infinite resources and will stop at nothing to reach their goal. Once Danny uncovers the link between the lawsuit, the lost Constitution article, and The Group, he discovers an unthinkable plot designed by a brilliant psychopath whose motive makes them question everything.