La France Contemporaine

I used this book in college and loved it! It was one of the few books I actually enjoyed reading. Now I use it in my own French classroom with AP level students, and they enjoy it, too. It makes many pieces of the French language and culture accessible while still challenging them and forcing them to learn something. I think the price is appropriate for content of the book. Yes, it is thin and paperback, but it is crammed with information that students need to know before traveling abroad or pursuing advanced studies in French language and culture.

This book was NEVER meant to be used as a French reader, which is what the books "Easy French Reader" and "Better Reading French" are. La France Contemporaine is a bit pricey because it was written as a classroom TEXT BOOK to teach students about contemporary French culture. It is written entirely in French with the expectation that the reader ALREADY KNOWS the language. The text is straight-forward and accessible, and it teaches students about the complex French government, school and health systems, regional heritage, and more. So if you are looking for a great intermediate-level French text book, this is it. However, you will be sadly disappointed if all you want are simple, educational stories to improve your French reading skills.