FRUK Resource Page. Updated 14th February 2011
Hello, and welcome to the FRUK resource page where all things Anglo-French are listed.
The aim of the page is to provide useful links for those who want to write historically accurate fics, find resources for cosplays, or to enjoy moments of Anglo-French relationship in stories!
In order to make this list bigger and better I am relying on members to give me their recs by commenting on this page.
Format for fiction and nonfiction:
Title [plus link if possible]
Author [surname, first name]
Period covered / Keywords
Summary
Format for websites and webpages:
Link
Summary of what can be found. [it's useful to indicate if there are graphics/audio/movies etc]
I hope you'll find it useful! Comments and ideas on how to improve layout are also welcome!
Fiction
Cross Channel
Barnes, Julian
Spans several centuries
Love, sex, art, literature, wars, religion, wine, spirit, the steam engine and, yes, Eurostar: they are all there. All the emotions, attitudes, pursuits and endeavours that typically seem to link Britain to France. (Amazon Blurb)
-starstray
Dangerous Liaisons
Chordelos de Lacos, Pierre
Pre French Revolution
French Classic written before the French Revolution. Two French artistocrats, former lovers, embark on a sophisticated game of seduction and manipulation to bring amusement to their jaded existence.
-lai choi san
Temeraire
Novik, Naomi
AU Napolean Wars
Alternate napoleonic war/other historical shenanigans WITH DRAGONS
-evokers
Desmond
Smith, Charlotte
French Revolution
She's one of the few writers from that period who managed to get something in before the Seditious Writing Act really got started. There are a lot of references in there like to Burke's 'Reflections on a revolution in France' and Paine's 'Rights of man'. Even if you are familiar with the political/philosophical writing at the time, I'd still recommend the Broadview version of Desmond for its wonderful notes. And it has interesting extracts at the back of letters from people writing from France to England.
-mizumimi
Candide
Voltaire, Francois
The epic adventures of Candide, a naif who embarks on an global adventure and his faith in the idea that everything is really the best of all possible worlds when he encounters suffering and injustice. This satirical classic is fast and easy to read, and you can get a feel of the culture and ideas and haps of the mid 18th Century. I found it a good jumping off point to read this and then to go on to research the historical background behind it.
-mortkero
Non-fiction
Voices From the Dark Years: The Truth About Occupied France 1940-1945
Boyd, Douglas
WW2, Allies, Occupation
A very informative look at the Occupation of France during WW2 which is surprisingly easy to read except when you find yourself nervous about turning the pages.
-zalia
1000 Years Of Annoying The French
Clarke, Stephen
1066-present
This is a humorous take on the English opinions about shared history with France. It's informative, entertaining, and really shippy. You will roll on the floor laughing and every chapter will generate FrUK plot bunnies. Could qualify as 'required reading' for FrUK shippers.
-nym_aulth
Friend or Foe: An Anglo-Saxon History of France
Horne, Alistair
AD 350s - Present
An idiosyncratic look at French history, focuses mainly on Paris. Reviewers have commented that 'That Sweet Enemy' is better and that there is not much about the Anglo-French relationship. However one reviewer says "If you just want to read for pleasure, to revisit historical events and let your imagination flow then this is a highly enjoyable book. "
-mortkero
Churchill and De Gaulle
Kersaudy, François
WW2, Allied Forces
An excellent description of the two men, describing their trials and highly tempestuous relationship, including their enduring -if severely tested- friendship.
-Lai Choi San
Down and Out in Paris and London
Orwell, George
Post First World War
George Orwell writes about his time spent living in poverty in Paris, and his experience of homelessness in London. Orwell manages to bring the scenes to life with his description of the life and the characters.
-mortkero
What Jane Austen ate and Charles Dickens knew
Pool, Daniel
Victorian England.
A guide to daily life at home and in public of Victorian England.
-nakimochiku
That Sweet Enemy: The French and the British from the Sun King to the Present
Tombs, Isabelle & Tombs, Rogers
1640s- present
The book is written by a husband and wife team-- the husband English, the wife French-- so it is literally a labor of love
-boscaresque
The Secret Life of France
Wadham, Lucy
1985-2009, personal experiences, culture, politics, history, life in France, Paris
A personal account of an Englishwoman about her life in France; she married a Frenchman and raised her children with him in France. As a journalist she also had the chance to meet several interesting people including secret police, spies and politicians, giving her a somewhat of an insider's view on the French politics. Finally she ponders about her own love/hate-relationship with her adopted homeland and why she ended up staying there even after divorcing her French husband.
I just read this one. I was a bit suspicious at first but the author does write well and she has very interesting opinions and views on the French, from an English perspective. She's very intelligent, well-read and good at reading people and cultural phenomena. There were a few things I felt were showing her bias and some things I thought she didn't explain enough, AND her view is obviously far too Paris-centered, but all in all it's still well worth reading for this one opinion.
-tuulensisko
Other links
http://community.livejournal.com/hetalia_fr/51412.html
A page in the hetalia fr LJ Comm where you can ask for translations into French, and to have your work Beta Read by native French speakers!
-maikichelorrain
www.literature.org/
A place where you can read full and unabridged classics online.
-mortkero
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
A place where you can download free ebooks. Good for books where copyrights have expired.
-mortkero
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/sea-and-ships/in-depth/nelson-and-napoleon/
The National Maritime Museum website. This particular section "explore the lives and careers of two dominant leaders and adversaries, Horatio Nelson and Napoleon Bonaparte, and the political, social and cultural context of one of the most significant sea battles in history - the Battle of Trafalgar."
-mortkero
http://www.bl.uk/
The British Library website. A wealth of information to be used for historical research and roleplay purposes. Includes PDFs of British newspapers published between 1800 and 1900.
-pillowsofwind
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
Good for info on England. Well organized and super-easy to navigate. Articles, historical maps, timelines... you name it. (And if you're in Britain, you can stream videos, too.)
-pillowsofwind
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/player
Audio recordings on history, arts, and culture. Easily understandable for non-native English speakers
-maikichelorrain
http://www.wallacecollection.org
A museum in London that houses unsurpassed displays of French 18th century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury. You can browse the online collection. Or visit it if you're in London. Admission is free!
-starstray
http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Presentation,312.html
Found on the website for the French Cultural Institute that's in London. This is a presentation on French and British cooperation in history, politics, science etc.
-mortkero
Articles
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/27/dunkirk-veterans-france-anniversary
An article with accounts from veterans of Dunkirk.
World War II
-mortkero