In this compact and tightly argued essay, the author maintains that the French Third Republic - and European history during this period in general - can only be understood if particular attention is paid to the special relationship that existed between France and Germany. The experience of the French people was so intimately related to that of its closest neighbor that a bilateral perspective becomes unavoidable. Without the unifying theme of Germany's crucial role in acting upon and within the French Republic, this story would become a much more random tale of events. After 1870, an autonomous national history of France is no longer possible.

"The first in a three-part memoir series exposing the darker side of French culture, a brilliantly funny and poignant study of French life that begins when a young graduate makes a spontaneous decision to follow the man she loves to Paris. He is, however, nowhere to be found. Now a penniless singleton she must work in order to survive. With only a smattering of French she begins a new life. A Stranger in Paris follows Karen in her formative years as she searches for friends, family, and love. A portrayal of French life 'from the inside' by a narrator who has seen the various echelons of French society from rich to poor, from the capital city to the rural South West."--Provided by publisher.

A Stranger In Paris is the ninth in the Inspector Gilles Maintenon Mystery Series. Gilles faces the most diabolical killer in years. The dead, blameless young men in the sunshine of life, are piling up. With political ferment and a busy and distracted police department, it’s a case of too many clues and not enough time. Someone will have to make a mistake, otherwise the police are two steps behind all the way. This one will take teamwork, dull, plodding procedure, attention to detail, and a lot of luck to solve.