'An extraordinary journey of discovery' - Daily Telegraph
'Pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . dazzling' - The Sunday Times

Illuminating, engrossing and full of surprises, The Discovery of France is the tale of Graham Robb's 14,000-mile journey across France on a bicycle to uncover an alternative history.

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.

An award-winning modern classic, The Discovery of France is a literary exploration of a remarkable nation. From maps and migration to magic, language and landscape, it reveals a France few will recognize. And all from the perspective of two wheels.

Winner of the Duff Cooper and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje prizes, The Discovery of France is now included in the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the very best of modern literature.

An exciting voyage on two wheels, Robb's prize-winning classic offers a stunning alternative history of France.

About the Author
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 Medaille de la Ville de Paris. He lives on the English-Scottish border.

Reviews
Exhilarating . . . a stunning journey through the historical landscape of France. * Independent *
Elegant, entertaining and occasionally brilliant. * The Observer *
At once history, psychogeography, itinerary and cabinet of curiosities . . . will delight even the most indolent armchair traveller. * Telegraph *
A dazzling and moving contribution to a long tradition. * The Sunday Times *
There's any amount of treasure to be found here. * Evening Standard *
A gently mesmerising, always brilliant exposition, and a vibrant biography of forgotten France. * The Herald *
An astute sociological catalogue, and an extraordinary journey of discovery. * Irish Independent *
An astonishing, eccentric book . . . Robb carries the reader along on flawless prose. * The Times *
Beautifully written and truly eccentric. * Times Literary Supplement *
A fascinating diversion. * Daily Mail *
Robb is a fascinating and hugely knowledgeable guide to a country that we only thought we knew. * London Review of Books *


Awards
Winner of Duff Cooper Prize 2008 (UK). Long-listed for BBC Four Samuel Johnson Prize 2008 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781035039197
Author Graham Robb
Format Paperback
Page Count 496
Imprint Picador
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Weight(grams) 336g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 130mm * 30mm