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Rating: 
Summary: the only book worth reading on the French
Review: De Gaulle was, as this book points out, the last great frenchmen. Some will debate this raising the name of Mitterand, but De Gaulle looms over france like an albatross as the conscience of the nation.De Gaulle was influenced as a young man by the injustice of the Dreyfuss case. The hatred of inequality would later convince De Gaulle to fight to the death rather then submit to Nazi terror. The book details De Gaulle as the war hero in WWI. He went on to write about the new generation of tanks and how best to employ them(as the Germans would) in concentrations. During WWII De Gaulle found himself watching the government vascilate and finally give in to the hated Germans. To cap it off De Gaulles WWI hero Petain was the one to give in to the Nazis. De Gaulle fled to Britian to carry on the conflict and he was found guilty of treason by the Vichy french. De Gaulle carrried the honor of france abroad, helped to liberate hte colonies from the Vichy and finally leading the french back to Paris. De Gaulles later carerr found him helping to extricate the french from Algeria. A wonderful book, easy to read and enthralling.
Rating:
Summary: the only book worth reading on the French
Review: De Gaulle was, as this book points out, the last great frenchmen. Some will debate this raising the name of Mitterand, but De Gaulle looms over france like an albatross as the conscience of the nation. De Gaulle was influenced as a young man by the injustice of the Dreyfuss case. The hatred of inequality would later convince De Gaulle to fight to the death rather then submit to Nazi terror. The book details De Gaulle as the war hero in WWI. He went on to write about the new generation of tanks and how best to employ them(as the Germans would) in concentrations. During WWII De Gaulle found himself watching the government vascilate and finally give in to the hated Germans. To cap it off De Gaulles WWI hero Petain was the one to give in to the Nazis. De Gaulle fled to Britian to carry on the conflict and he was found guilty of treason by the Vichy french. De Gaulle carrried the honor of france abroad, helped to liberate hte colonies from the Vichy and finally leading the french back to Paris. De Gaulles later carerr found him helping to extricate the french from Algeria. A wonderful book, easy to read and enthralling.
Rating: 
Summary: A captivating biography
Review: For the first half of the book, it seems like the British author (who spent time in France) portrays de Gaulle with a little too much sympathy. Any such notions are quickly dispelled in the second half, where de Gaulle is clearly shown to be "in the wrong" on several occasions. On the whole, the writing is very well done. Although fairly thick, it flows well. It normally takes me a while to finish books, but this one went very fast. I was especially captivated by the plays of Roosevelt vs. de Gaulle. It is quite possible that the rift in US/French relations happened as a result of the animosity between these two extremely obstinate men.
Rating:
Summary: I would dearly recommend this book
Review: General De Gaulle was a great man with a very fascinating life story. He did not only participated in several historical event that had an enormous impact of the future Europe, he was also a great statesman that believed in his France and spent his whole life in order to place France at the top - as one of the worlds leading nations. This book, written by an Englishman, tells this magnificent story in a very interesting and believable way, and I must say that I really enjoyed this book from the first page to the last. If you are interested in European history and politics, or just interested in a great story and a exiting life story, I would dearly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: An apt title
Review: Is it possible to love your county too much? If your love of country leads you to break with most of the political leaders of your day and flee to a foreign shore to resist the creators of the Holocaust, the answer is no. If it leads you to snub leaders of the countries that liberated your captive nation -- with the consequent political fall-out -- the answer may be different. The public de Gaulle emerges from these pages as fiercely patriotic, complex, shrewd and obstinate, even as he appears sensitive and introspective in private, and France was better for his birth. In every good drama, the protagonist undergoes a change. This biography is like a good drama. I won't reveal the personal crisis and other events which, according to the author, enlarged de Gaulle between World War II and his return to power in the 50s, but I will say it makes thoughtful reading. This biography also discusses de Gaule's ten year reign in France as President. Particularly interesting is his cultivation of third world countries in pursuit of French influence in the World. His fall from power is also described. Biographies tend to be bitter-sweet, ending as they do in decline and death. This biography is like that. Yet de Gaulle remained de Gaulle to the end.
Rating:
Summary: The Last Great Frenchman: A Life of Gen. De Gaulle
Review: Mr. Williams' book is a first rate introduction to the life and times of Gen. de Gaulle. For students of WWII and modern world politics, the perspective presented is fresh and thought provoking. I found it a good companion to the General's own memiors. It is hard not to have a opinion about a man who had such forceful opinions himself, and never seemed to be afraid of expressing them or the resulting controversy. The book is fair and balanced in it's coverage of the subject though occasionally light on background and reasons to explain the General's actions. The fact must be acknowledged that some actions could only be explained "because he was de Gaulle". Mr. Williams' writing of the Petain - de Gaulle relationship is the most complete and impartial report I have read. The quality of the printing and photo reproduction, in the paperback version I read, was very good. English language books on modern French history are not abundant. This is a excellant volume to start off with or
add to a collection.
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