No tangible information. Much rambling. Commonly notes the role he or people he knows played in story. Adds unnecessary editorial comments. Cannot help but add unrelated digs at the US, the country where he obtained his degrees, employed him, and allowed him to do what he wants, including criticizing it constantly. Listening to him ramble reminds me why I did not major in history.

Overall it’s ok but teacher sometimes doing strange comments like the one about France football team “who are not french” for someone who saying he is “left” making anti emigrant comments are kinda off.

This class works as a fun, entertaining series of stand alone lectures. If you do the reading, which I did not, it’s must be a pretty comprehensive overview with some interesting in-depth work particularly on Zola and the Resistance. As is, I found that the lectures are perfect companions on long walks—always fluent with a light touch and dozens of interesting asides and stories. On a deeper level, I went into these lectures with a philosopher’s systematizing and abstract inclinations and a personal experience of frustration with history classes and historians’ desultory interests and methods. In other words, I was a pretty bad history student despite interest in the subject matter. I didn’t fit in. This class was a tonic. Yes, it’s often oblique and anecdotal, but Professor Merriman’s deep love of the subject matter, personal connection to France, and wearing of his hippie heart on his sleeve gave me my first sense of history as a humanistic field. It’s no coincidence that Merriman is especially strong on biography and social movements; he sees history and politics at the human scale in all its contingency, fallibility, dignity, and glorie.

Only 24 lectures? I want more! This is no dry, chronological recitation of events. This is a passionate, detailed and personal account of French history and culture. Some reviewers object to his political point of view. One of the things I love about France is that it is not a social faux pas to admit to having a political opinion. And it is nice to hear someone with a “far left” perspective, although he did not seem so far left to me. There are conservative historians out there. Alistair Horne, for example, who has been called “George Bush’s favorite historian” has written numerous books on French history. Inspired by this class, I just started reading Merriman’s book on the Paris Commune. Vive la France! Vive la commune!

Absolutely fantastic. As a professor who has taught some of this material myself, I am humbled by the depth of Merriman’s knowledge, by his stylish, adroit presentation of the information in such a way that none of its poignance and drama is lost, and by his delivery, which manages to be both witty and passionate at once. Wonderful. Don’t miss it.

The other criticisms here have merit; he injects an unnecessary strong political bias into the lectures as well as relying too much on personal experience. However, there isn't much in the way of alternatives on iTunes U and I still found the lectures entertaining and informative, especially the pre-WW2 portion.

I am enjoying this. I do understand the complaints that others have made; but forewarned is forearmed I suppose. I do, at times, feel as if I'm listening to Jeff Goldblum lecturing...

This Merriman character is a poster boy for anyone wanting to discredit the quality of the Yale history department. I have tried, believe me I've tried, to listen to these lectures, but it's simply nauseating. It's anecdotal at best ... nothing of substance here. The most damning comment I can think of is Merriman's attempts to impress his students with his fluency in all things French. Oh yes, everything seems to be related to where he claims to have an apartment in Paris, or a house in the country, and his feeble attempts to sound fluent in the language of Molière. This guy is a fake, a waste of time, and a discredit to an otherwise noble institution.

I enjoyed this series very much--good broad brush of topics in recent French history. Had to drop a star due to the libtard bias and false analogies to contemporary american politics which have absolutely no relevance to the course.

I loved the audio version of this course. I listened to it in my car, and I picked up a lot of ideas and insight into the history of France that was complementary to some other things I have read or plan to read. Merriman adds a lot of things about his own life in France and some American politics, but his coverage of Émile Henry and Robespierre made the course fun and gave me new interest in the subject.

This is a very interesting lecture series. The other reviews complain that it's "anecdotal". If you're looking for lists of dates and facts look elsewhere. Tis isn't Wikipedia. These are interesting discussions of ideas and topics and trust me, if you pay attention you'll learn plenty and it won't taste like medicine! Try it you'll like it!

Anecdotal and idiosyncratic. Difficult to listen to. The video did not show the slides which detracted from the series. Should have been much better as the professor is passionate & knowledgeable but came across as story telling.