Description
Book SynopsisFrench Anti-Americanism offers a historical exploration of the central role of anti-Americanism in French thought, and the often compromised position of France''s intelligentsia during World War II. It was in the years preceding World War II, with its complex fears and uncertainties, that America first took center stage as a target for French anxieties. Dr. Seth D. Armus examines the cultural stability of French anti-Americanism and how it has survived colossal political shifts nearly unchanged. Focusing on the contributions made by inter-war intellectuals, this book demonstrates how some of the most striking elements of contemporary anti-Americanism, including a frequent intersection with anti-Semitism, were fully developed six or seven decades ago. Through a study of characters ranging from Nazi collaborators to Catholic humanists, Dr. Armus provides a sophisticated analysis of French anti-Americanism as a cultural phenomenon-distinct from mere political opposition to American foreig
Trade ReviewArmus should be congratulated for offering us a distillation of an important if not critical moment in the formation of anti-Americanism, and bringing to light the contribution of thinkers previously ignored in the literature. -- Irwin Wall, University of California, Riverside, * H-Diplo *
A useful companion piece to the more general studies of Mathy and Roger, exploring in greater depth the critical interwar period. . . . [In] a perceptive interpretation of the primary texts, Armus provides the reader with a lively and fair-minded evaluation of the many scholarly debates surrounding each of his topics. . . . His arguments are well reasoned, supported by textual evidence, and compelling. * H-France Review, October 2007 *
Armus's work delivers a set of engaging intellectual biographies that illuminate a fascinating and disturbing chapter in France's past. * Journal of American History, December 2007 *
Seth D. Armus's book is a focused and valuable contribution to understanding this complex phenomenon. * American Historical Review, October 2008 *
Seth Armus' stimulating new book shows how both the time of writing and the affiliations of the French authors are of particular significance. Armus strives to be balanced. He comments in an even-handed fashion. Armus makes a strong case for the importance of the nonconformists of the 1930s, and is certainly correct to highlight the powerful continuities in anti-American discourse. Armus has made an original and compelling contribution to the growing scholarship on French anti-Americanism, which deserves to be widely read... -- Sean Kennedy * French Politics, Culture, and Society, June 2009 *
This bold, lively analysis of French rightwing writers in the 1930s reveals how central anti-Americanism became to their worldview and how much French anti-Americanism today still draws on the reservoir of venom, clichés and images these writers spun into prose. An important book for anyone interested in French culture, the European right, and French-American relations. -- Herrick Chapman, New York University
Seth Armus' stimulating new book shows how both the time of writing and the affiliations of the French authors are of particular significance. Armus strives to be balanced. He comments in an even-handed fashion. Armus makes a strong case for the importance of the nonconformists of the 1930s, and is certainly correct to highlight the powerful continuities in anti-American discourse. Armus has made an original and compelling contribution to the growing scholarship on French anti-Americanism, which deserves to be widely read. -- Sean Kennedy * French Politics, Culture, and Society, June 2009 *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction: French Anti-Americanism in Context Chapter 2 1 The American Cancer: French Anti-Americanism in 1930 Chapter 3 2 Enemies of the Spirit: Emmanuel Mounier's Esprit and French anti-Americanism Chapter 4 3 Amérique juive: Je Suis Partout and the Subterranean World of Pierre Cousteau Chapter 5 4 Welcome to the Machine: Georges Bernanos' War Against Americanism
