The Last Great Frenchman

Critical acclaim for The Last Great Frenchman "This is a splendid popular biography . . . recounted with verveand anecdotal warmth, along with fresh appraisals of de Gaulle'scareer as soldier, politician, and head of state." --PublishersWeekly. "Highly readable. . . . It is to Williams' credit that he is ableto get so close to such a prickly personality." --San FranciscoChronicle "Charles Williams has matched a great subject by something near toa great book." --Daily Telegraph (London) "Marvelous vignettes. . . . Williams tells his story with pace andskill." --Martin Gilbert

Partial table of contents: CHILD. A Parisian Boy from Lille. The Steps of St Ignatius. SOLDIER. The Army of the Republic. A War to End Wars. Polish Interlude. Petain's Chicken. A Toe in Political Waters. The Cut of the Sickle. Is He a New Napoleon? EXILE. Laying the Corner Stone. Afric's Sunny Fountains. Who is Fighting Whom? The Eagle and the Bear Join the Party. Resistance on All Fronts. Mediterranean Storms. The Darlan Deal. From Anfa to Algiers. Waiting for Overlord. HERO. A Parisian Summer. Government Must Govern. POLITICIAN. With Peace Comes Politics. The Gamble that Failed. PHILOSOPHER. A Certain Idea of France. On Public and Private Life. HEAD OF STATE. The New Agenda. Baiting Uncle Sam. The Ides of May. Epilogue: Return to Colombey. Notes. Select Bibliography. Acknowledgements. Index.