Thursday, December 01, 2005

The Last Great Frenchman

Subtitled a biography of Charles de Gaulle.
This was a very readable book that analyses a complex man with a great deal of clarity and shows how myth (in the good sense) is created.
The key point he makes is the difference that de Gaulle seemed to draw between the "I" and "The General", with the latter standing for and representing the soul of France.
He must have been absolutely terrible to negotiate with but no-one reading this book can doubt his love for his homeland. Highly recommended 9/10