A History of France in 21 Women - Hatchards Piccadilly

We are delighted to welcome historian Katherine Pangonis here to Hatchards for an evening of conversation to celebrate her brand new book:

A History of France in 21 Women

French women have always had so much more to say than ‘let them eat cake’; indeed, women’s stories of courage, creativity and genius have long defined French history.

Take the rise of Eleanor of Aquitaine from teenage bride to the most powerful woman in medieval Europe,orBerthe Morisot infiltrating art’s biggest boy’s club – the Impressionists. Also Coco Chanel and Josephine Baker, two of the twentieth century’s great fashion icons, whofound themselves spying for opposite sides during World War Two.And there are lesser known (yet no less influential) figures like Christine de Pizan, a medieval proto-feminist, and Paulette Nardal, who took Paris's overwhelmingly white, male literary establishment by storm.

With Katherine’s fresh, funny and unapologetically feminist perspective on French history, this promises to be a fascinating evening of stories and insights. Katherine will be in conversation with Estelle Paranque, author of Thorns, Lust and Glory: The betrayal of Anne Boleyn. We hope you will be able to join us!