The Discovery of France

<p><b>'An extraordinary journey of discovery' </b>- <i>Daily Telegraph</i><br><b>'Pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . dazzling' </b>- <i>The Sunday Times<br><br>Ten years ago, I began to explore the country on which I was supposed to be an authority . . .</i><br><br>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. <i>The Discovery of France -</i> illuminating, engrossing and full of surprises -is the result of Robb's 14,000-mile journey across France on a bicycle.<br><br>Winner of both the Duff Cooper and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje prizes, <i>The Discovery of France</i> 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.<br><br><b>Part of the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the best of modern literature</b></p>