History/Historical novels

I love the language, but speak only a little French, and can read not much more. (Sadly, the same could be said of some of the teachers I had in high school.) Therefore, I'm interested in good translations.

On a couple of trips to France, my enjoyment was lessened by my ignorance regarding huge chunks of French history. I know a fair amount about the Revolution and the Napoleonic era, and a smattering of facts picked up from Dumas, but most of the rest is a blank.

I find it easiest to "meet" the personalities and get the flavor of a period from good historical novels, and then seek out nonfiction works. Are there any well-researched 20th (or 21st) century historical novels, available in English translation, that anyone would recommend?

I'd also be interested in finding nonfiction French accounts (in English) of the Crimean War. I'm sure that French participation wasn't limited to Bosquet's famous comment on "the Charge." :-)

How 'bout a 19th century novel? I'm thinking about Emile Zola, who is fantastic ... if you're looking for specific topics, as opposed to general stories about French life, I'd try La Debacle about the Franco-Prussian war.

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Well . . . I was really looking for some more modern ones. The sort of historical novel that includes a list of sources, or even the occasional footnote, would be nice.

How about medieval history, for starters?

You might try Peter Vansittart's Hermes in Paris; it meets all your criteria with the only flaw being its author is English. The novel is set in the Paris of Napoleon III on the eve of the Franco-Prussian war. Vansittart has a bit of a cult following as a literary historical novelist. His prose style is maximalist - so more in line with Paul West than with someone like Ian McEwan.

Just a guess - I've not tried them myself - but how about one of ROBERT MERLE'S series of historical novels? Set in the 15th and 16th century and written I gather in old-fashioned French. He wrote some good modern novels too.

The Crown Rose by Fiona Avery is a good historical novel
Sandra Gulland's Josephine B trilogy is also a good read
Anything by Alexandre Dumas is good too.

>3 myshelves: myshelves

If I were you, and if you are interested in the Middle Ages, I would try to find a translation of the Maurice Druon's series Les Rois maudits. This is about the beginning of the One Hundred Years' war.

I got quite a long way through the first volume of Les Rois Maudits - Le Roi de Fer? - by the pool, when I was in the south of France on holiday last year. Haven't touched it since getting home though. Can't seem to get in the mood. Maybe if I tried sniffing a little sun tan lotion?

On Louis XIVth 's time: The King's way by Françoise Chandernagor very good, serious, but light reading. On Revolution l'enfant des lumières (same author), A Tale of Two Cities

The best book on the revolution, i.m.h.o., is Victor Hugo's Quatre-vingt-treize ('93). Pretty history-heavy, with an excellent plot, and great style (it is Hugo, after all).

Also, Assia Djebar's L'amour, la fantasia goes back and forth between the invasion of Algeria (during the Restoration) and modern-day Algeria. beautifully written.