The Books canon

Sourced and shelved.

Every book chosen by hand and annotated for why it matters.
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2 volumes
SortEditorial Year Title
Subject·France✕clear
Nonfiction · History

History of the Franks

Gregory of Tours
594 · 710 pages

Gregory, bishop of Tours, is the reason sixth-century Gaul is visible at all. He records Clovis splitting a soldier's skull over a looted vase, queens ordering assassinations, and miracles at the saints' tombs.

★ 6.4
Nonfiction · Food writing

Adventures on the Wine Route

A Wine Buyer's Tour of France
Kermit Lynch
1988 · 288 pages

A Berkeley merchant drives France cellar by cellar, buying from small growers and arguing that filtering a wine bright strips out what you want to drink. Lynch taught Americans to taste for place.

★ 4.5