{"title":"Books by Graham Robb","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781529007657","title":"France: An Adventure History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eProspect\u003c\/i\u003e Book of the Year\u003cbr\u003eWinner of the American Library in Paris Book Award\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An amused, erudite homage to France . . . ambitious and original' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Ceaselessly interesting, knowledgeable and evocative' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A fresh way to write history' \u003c\/b\u003e- Alan Johnson\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOriginal, knowledgeable and endlessly entertaining, \u003ci\u003eFrance: An Adventure History\u003c\/i\u003e is an unforgettable journey through France from the first century BC to the present day.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawn from countless new discoveries and thirty years of exploring France on foot, in the library and across 30,000 miles on the author’s beloved bike. It begins with Gaulish and Roman times and ends in the age of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, the Gilets Jaunes and Covid-19.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the plains of Provence to the slums and boulevards of Paris, events and themes of French history may be familiar – Louis XIV, the French Revolution, the French Resistance, the Tour de France – but all are presented in a shining new light by Graham Robb.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrequently hilarious, always surprising, this is a a vivid, living history of one of the world’s most fascinating nations. It will make even seasoned Francophiles wonder if they really know that \u003ci\u003eterra incognita\u003c\/i\u003e which is currently referred to as ‘France’.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘Packed full of discoveries’\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A gorgeous tapestry of insights, stories and surprises' \u003c\/b\u003e- Fintan O'Toole\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A rich and vibrant narrative . . . clear-eyed but imaginative storytelling' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Full of life'\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003ci\u003eProspect\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43128677400754,"sku":"9781529007657","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57685876900213,"sku":"9781529007626","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529007657_77ba2ada-c50e-4c43-9c82-ffe6305fdf88.jpg?v=1792599099"},{"product_id":"9781509804719","title":"The Debatable Land","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘A book worth reading’ Andrew Marr, \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Debatable Land was an independent territory which used to exist between Scotland and England. At the height of its notoriety, it was the bloodiest region in Great Britain, fought over by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James V. After the Union of the Crowns, most of its population was slaughtered or deported and it became the last part of the country to be brought under the control of the state. Today, its history has been forgotten or ignored.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Graham Robb moved to a lonely house on the very edge of England, he discovered that the river which almost surrounded his new home had once marked the Debatable Land’s southern boundary. Under the powerful spell of curiosity, Robb began a journey – on foot, by bicycle and into the past – that would uncover lost towns and roads, reveal the truth about this maligned patch of land and result in more than one discovery of major historical significance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRich in detail and epic in scope, \u003ci\u003eThe Debatable Land\u003c\/i\u003e takes us from a time when neither England nor Scotland could be imagined to the present day, when contemporary nationalism and political turmoil threaten to unsettle the cross-border community once more. Writing with his customary charm, wit and literary grace, Graham Robb proves the Debatable Land to be a crucial, missing piece in the puzzle of British history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIncludes a 16-page colour plate section.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204477649074,"sku":"9781509804719","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781509804719.jpg?v=1786021621"},{"product_id":"9780330452458","title":"Parisians","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo one knows a city like the people who live there – so who better to relate the history of Paris than its inhabitants through the ages? \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTaking us from 1750 to the new millennium, Graham Robb's \u003ci\u003eParisians\u003c\/i\u003e is at once a book to read from cover to cover, to lose yourself in, to dip in and out of at leisure, and a book to return to again and again – rather like the city itself, in fact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor this collection of true stories the City of Paris awarded Graham the Medal of the City of Paris.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e 'Quirky, amused and très British' Julian Barnes, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Sense of an Ending\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43399960199346,"sku":"9780330452458","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780330452458.jpg?v=1786013544"},{"product_id":"9781035039197","title":"The Discovery of France","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An extraordinary journey of discovery' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Pedals along with never a dull paragraph . . . dazzling' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003ci\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIlluminating, engrossing and full of surprises, \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of France\u003c\/i\u003e is the tale of Graham Robb's 14,000-mile journey across France on a bicycle to uncover an alternative history.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrance 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn award-winning modern classic, \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of France\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of the Duff Cooper and the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje prizes, \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of France \u003c\/i\u003eis now included in the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the very best of modern literature.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44581732319410,"sku":"9781035039197","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781035039197_597ad4f6-2f46-401f-b04b-a4e3000c894b.jpg?v=1786016973"},{"product_id":"9781035026111","title":"The Discovery of Britain","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e Book of the Year.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTaking you on a time-travelling adventure around the 'spindly, sea-wracked islands' we call home, \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of Britain\u003c\/i\u003e is history that's panoramic and intimate, poignant and shocking, seriously funny, and enlightening in the most surprising way.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Robb has found a new format for writing history just as Craig Brown found a fresh way to write biography' \u003c\/b\u003e– Alan Johnson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Rarely does history feel so beguiling'\u003c\/b\u003e – \u003ci\u003eThe Observer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the hands of the prize-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of France\u003c\/i\u003e, and often from the unique vantage point of his bicycle, we encounter an entertaining cast of characters foreign and homegrown, drop in on places and events, and dwell on the successes and catastrophes across British history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom ancient settlements swallowed up by the sea and the creation of Stonehenge to the advent of multiculturalism and recent political earthquakes, all is seen as it’s never been seen before.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith intriguing maps and illustrations throughout, \u003ci\u003eThe Discovery of Britain\u003c\/i\u003e can be devoured whole or each chapter read in the time it takes to change a bicycle tyre or drink a cup of coffee. The wonderful choice of how to enjoy this original and sweeping history of Britain is yours.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A treasure house of a book'\u003c\/b\u003e – \u003ci\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Entertaining . . . offers a fresh way of seeing the nation’s past'\u003c\/b\u003e – \u003ci\u003eThe i\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685958820213,"sku":"9781035026135","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":55896356258165,"sku":"9781035026111","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781035026135.jpg?v=1792599219"},{"product_id":"9780330482240","title":"Strangers","description":"A perceptive, vivid and sometimes startling re-evaluation of homosexuality in the Victorian era.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56285767139701,"sku":"9780330482240","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780330482240_72728794-51d4-4370-9e9d-220844edeffb.jpg?v=1786013573"},{"product_id":"9780330531511","title":"The Ancient Paths","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGraham Robb's \u003ci\u003eThe Ancient Paths\u003c\/i\u003e will change the way you see European civilization.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInspired by a chance discovery, Robb became fascinated with the world of the Celts: their gods, their art, and, most of all, their sophisticated knowledge of science. His investigations gradually revealed something extraordinary: a lost map, of an empire constructed with precision and beauty across vast tracts of Europe. The map had been forgotten for almost two millennia and its implications were astonishing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMinutely researched and rich in revelations, \u003ci\u003eThe Ancient Paths\u003c\/i\u003e brings to life centuries of our distant history and reinterprets pre-Roman Europe. Told with all of Robb's grace and verve, it is a dazzling, unforgettable book.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56286485774709,"sku":"9780330531511","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780330531511_04ba542e-5a42-410a-8a47-df39d4554ff3.jpg?v=1786015963"},{"product_id":"discovery-of-britain","title":"Discovery of Britain","description":"\u003cp\u003eInterweaving personal and historical narratives and making use of contemporary sources, Graham Robb's lively exploration of Britain through the ages peels back the layers of this island nation and shows how it came to be. We follow Robb as he travels along the warpaths of long-forgotten kings, under the chalk ramparts and grassy folds of ancient hill-towns, down the ghost trails of Roman and Saxon streets. Armed with poignant observations and an infectious love for his subject, Robb recounts the epic stories of wars and conquests, of feuding kings and rebellious peasants, of innovations and upheavals, from the creation of Stonehenge to the dawn of the railway, from the advent of multiculturalism to the recent political earthquakes-distilling a social, political, and geographical history of Britain that is at once panoramic and intimate, poignant and entertaining.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57555328926069,"sku":"9781324157106","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-graham-robb.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}