In the Shadow of the General: Modern France and the Myth of De Gaulle - Couverture rigide

Hazareesingh, Sudhir

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0195308883 ISBN 13 : 9780195308884

Editeur : OUP USA, 2012

Synopsis

In the Shadow of the General In contemporary France, Charles de Gaulle has become a figure of legend, consistently acclaimed as the nation's pre-eminent "historical" figure. But paradoxes abound. For one, his personal popularity sits oddly with his social origins and professional background. Neither the nobility, nor the Catholic Church, nor the Army is particularly well-regarded in France today, as they are seen to represent... Full description

A propos du livre

Revue de presse :

Hazareesinghs splendid book ... tells us much about the personality and ideology of de Gaulle, about modern France and its political culture, nd about the creation of great men in history. (Robert Aldrich, Australian Journal of Politics and History)

For the author of this fascinating investigation, which is as much about France as it is about the general, de Gaulle represents 'the highest point of the French national myth'. (Contemporary Review)

The best book on de Gaulle. (Le Magazine des Livres)

A wide-ranging and personal essay. This is not simply a book about de Gaulle. Rather, it seeks to show how de Gaulle evoked certain quasi-religious images concerned with salvation, liberation, fatherhood, and martyrdom. (Times Literary Supplement)

A fascinating study of the De Gaulle myth ... his book is a model of recent French historiography in the tradition of Pierre Nora and Maurice Agulhon. He is also a political scientist, intrigued by the general's stake in his own myth-making as a means of empowerment and self-justification ... When he strays from the rich world of myth and memorialisation to consider De Gaulle the man, Hazareesingh's judgements are beautifully measured. (Jeremy Harding, London Review of Books)

In this formidable work, Sudhir Hazareesingh explores the depths and contours of this imprint, showing its creation, its manifestations and its legacies. (Ludivine Broch, European History Quarterly 44(2))

A scintillating piece of work. The great interest of Sudhir Hazareesinghs remarkable book on the gaullian myth lies in the disentangling of what, in the cult of the General, has been swept up from the tides of History and what is the patient product of political craftsmanship. (Le Point)

In this perceptive and richly-documented work, Hazareesingh analyzes the fascination of the French for the General, and shows how the gaullian myth is both malleable and multi-faceted. (Le Monde)

In this inspiring and brilliant work, Sudhir Hazareesingh tracks the progressive emergence of Frances last great secular religion. He concludes that de Gaulle combined in his person the four great figures of political heroism: the Liberator, the prophet, the legislator, and the sage. (LExpress)

Always contested as a statesman, Charles de Gaulle has now become the greatest political legend of contemporary France. Sudhir Hazareesingh demonstrates how the General has become the incarnation of France. (Ouest-France)

Présentation de l'éditeur :

In contemporary France, Charles de Gaulle has become a figure of legend, consistently acclaimed as the nation's pre-eminent "historical" figure. But paradoxes abound. For one, his personal popularity sits oddly with his social origins and professional background. Neither the nobility, nor the Catholic Church, nor the Army is particularly well-regarded in France today, as they are seen to represent antiquated traditions and values. So why, then, do the French nonetheless identify with, celebrate, and even revere this austere and devout nobleman, who remained closely wedded to military values throughout his life? The Shadow of the General resolves this mystery and explains how de Gaulle has come to occupy such a privileged position in the French imagination. Sudhir Hazareesingh's story of how an individual life was transformed into national myth also tells a great deal about the French collective self in the twenty-first century: its fractured memory, its aspirations to greatness, and its manifold anxieties. Indeed, alongside the tale of de Gaulle's legacy, the author unfolds a much broader narrative: the story of modern France.

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: OUP USA
• Date d'édition: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0195308883
• ISBN 13: 9780195308884
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 256