October 1792. Having executed the king, the revolutionaries cast all restraint aside. They want a completely new beginning. They abolish the traditional months of the year, replacing them with twelve new months with names such as Floreal and Fructidor, each month to be made up of three ten-day weeks. There's also to be a ten-hour clock - 100,000 seconds per day. Meanwhile, in the Place de la Revolution, Madame Guillotine starts working overtime. the level of knowledge of the reader. The story of France is brought to life with clear and entertaining anecdotes such as the one quoted above. By the end of the book (it only takes about four hours to read) the reader has absorbed a thorough outline of French history from early times to the present day, enough to enhance any visit to the country. apart from an introductory section. In this book it's the othe way around: tips on where to go arise from the history. For instance, in the chapter on the French Revolution: there's information on the house in Arras where Robespierre lived before moving to Paris in 1788: on the Hotel des Invalides in Paris from which arms were looted for the storming of the Bastille: on the exact spot in the Place de la Concorde (formerly Place de la Revolution) where Louis XVI was executed: and on the room in the Conciergerie where Marie Antointette was imprisoned before she too was executed. flick backwards and forwards through the book in order to get one's bearings. A scattering of amusing cartoons keep the tone light in what is ultimately an affectionate look at a very remarkable country.