The French have always loved to protest, go on strike, and take to the streets in revolution against the state or the established order. However, in recent years, the level of anger and violence has surprised many, and the atmosphere has changed. Voices of hostility are not only coming from the far right but also from ordinary French people who feel excluded from the closed circle of wealth and privileges in prosperous cities.

In this exciting new book, Andrew Hussey travels across his adopted homeland to uncover the past and present of the working-class culture in France, a culture that remains invisible to most tourists and overlooked by the metropolitan classes. From industrial northern France to the southern borders with Italy, Hussey maps out the mood of a nation and reveals the social, political, and economic fractures that may deepen and expand. Combining vivid travel narration with sharp cultural analysis, this book is a must-read and an important work.

Pages: 336, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm