1000 Years of Annoying the French [Paperback] [Jan 01, 2012] STEPHEN CLARKE Paperback – May 7, 2015

Being a "yankee" I learned a lot about European history and cultural differences. Fun to read. Some really good snarks!

A brilliant and hilarious history of the English and the French, and the thousand years from the Battle of Hastings to present day. He confirmed my own attitudes from my experience in France. That is, annoying the French is a lot of fun since it's so easy to annoy them.As an historian, Mr. Clarke is well-educated and quite good at recounting details of the relationship of the English and the French in the droll humor the English are known for. His history is also quite accurate but more, he tells it a series of laugh out loud anecdotes. I enjoyed this book immensely -- partly because of the usually needless foibles of the monarchs and their minions, but mainly because of the wonderful sense of humor about it all that Mr. Clarke provides.This is a very accurate history of the English in France, expertly written by one of England's great humorists. I highly recommend it to anyone who reads history. and enjoys history, but also enjoys laughing at the French. They really are quite a silly bunch.

This is my first Stephen Clark and I really enjoyed it. I am no history major, but what it gave me was a sufficient, fun and easy-to-read introduction into French (and English) history over the past millenium. It also does well at giving some insight into the Dark Ages, feudal life, death, torture, revenge, intrigue and suffering (which seem to have typified those time), the way the aristocracy carried on, war, more war, the Renaissance and Victorian times.Again, I am not here to critically pick it apart like some academic, but what I do think that what is does do is give the lay reader a fun introduction into what is an inordinately large quantum of history without having to grind through vast tomes. Naturally, there is going to be superficiality at time, but that's fine with me. I definitely enjoyed his sense of humour.So, if you want a fun read and want to whizz by and enjoy the last 1000 years of this era (at the expense of the French), then I highly recommend you read this.

Being French myself I must say I loved this book which is rewriting the history we are being told in our French schools, in a absolute delightful and tongue-in-cheek way. I was shocked sometimes to realize that absolute French icons like our dearest croissants or baguettes are not that French to begin with and that some of our beloved heroes were really behaving like jerks most of the time. Actually I'm not that surprised as presenting facts to our best advantage is our most persistent French traits. And despite all the joking around and the little nabs to our French egos, the author never pretends to hide that he's a fervent francophile. I especially like the way he suggest in his introduction that one the main reason why we French and English hate (love) so much each other is because, despite what we might say in public, we find each other irresistibly sexy. This just set the tone for the whole book!

This book about the history of relations between Britain and France is really, really amusing. The author has that wry British humor that sneaks up on you. I'm guessing this book will be more amusing to Brit and American readers than to French readers. However, this is not just a humor book. I learned a lot, and had an amusing time learning. The book covers everything from William the Conqueror to the Channel Tunnel, and lots in between. I particularly enjoyed the parts about Napoleon, Mary Queen of Scots, "French" food, the French Revolution, champagne, the less than stellar way many French people conducted themselves during WWII, and the part about Charles De Gaulle. I do realize that this is one author's take on history, and other historians, particularly French historians might have different opinions. I will definitely read more books by this excellent author. I have downloaded samples of his fiction and non-fiction books. Highly recommend this book.

It took me forever to finish this book, because it was just NOT funny enough to keep me turning the pages. Honestly, it took me about two years to finish it. I loaded it in my phone and would read bits and pieces while waiting in lines or traffic jams. I finally made one final long slog just to get it out of the way.I have read three of Clarke's earlier books and enjoyed them. I think his problem in writing this book was not being able to stop with the funny bits; he always feels compelled to give all the NON-funny bits of history as well. He should have learned from the two classics of this genre, "1066 And All That" and "It All Started With Columbus," both of which are in the 120-page zone. Clarke's book is almost 400 pages long, which is more than both earlier (and better) books put together, with a couple of Terry Deary's "Horrible Histories" thrown in.So yes, there are some good historical laughs about the relation of England and France, but they are few and far between. Clarke needs to be reminded that brevity is the soul of wit.

The author has a great deal of fun with analyzing the French through history and their interaction, in particular, with the English. Rather than reading a stuffy, boring book on French history, I can recommend this book. It is a relaxing, mostly funny, read through a good deal of French history. A great deal of information.