Its one book with biggest volume that I have ever read. Its over 1000 page in french.
Claude Martin did a good job to blind the French and German politics with his long career working as a diplomate with such lucidity and a great job to read. The books on history can be very hard and boring to read not his book. His book is easy to read but in a superficial way. Its easy to read because he is very logical and wise and factuel and natural. I did not see he forced in anyway to impress the reader. He tells the stories as they are. I do feel that he tried to hook me up with the pretentious high suspens or complicated and hard to bite wordings but at the same time I followed his thoughts perfectly with respect and high interests.
This documentory book starts with his childhood in the paris suburbs. As his growing up, he is involved in his diplomate life almost as natural as the fate leads him to. As a curious and determinded child, all foreigns things are for him. After years as chinese ambassador, he was assigned as germany ambassador. The journay lasted for 15 years during which he was though almost all the presidents in France and in Germany. Starting with his favourite, the 1st republic president Charles de Guale, he absolutely loved him. I think that its one of the biggest reasons that he was involved in the politics. Ending hastenly with Emmanual Macron. The core of the Europe - France + Germany was through highs and lows. The relationships between two core European countries really depend on lots of personal things than I though it would be. The president personal characters get along. It seems a deciding factor for country relationships. Of courses, with the EU enlargments from 6 to 28 countries, its more and more difficult to coordinate efficiently as one single strong european voice facing the world. But the EU is absolutly necessary to stand more firmly with more power of unity as the US and the China and other countries. If The France and the Germany - two biggest countries in the EU get along determins the EU strength. but these two countries are different in many ways (the nation character is almost in the opposite direction), but they have to work together to have biggest EU voice.
As a foreigner, this book opens my eyes and broads my vision on French and Germany politics and the histories. Know more and live better and wisely. Thanks
Claude Martin!