History told through important dates, famous names and hitherto unknown figures, familiar places and unfamiliar lands.

In the vein of France in the World: A New Global History, this book lays out pivotal events from the 7th to the 20th century, reflecting profound shifts in perspective and priority that have transformed our vision of what we once called the Age of Discovery. In this book, "canonical" dates alternate with lesser known ones, in light of the critical reassessment underway on the motives behind existing "official" chronologies. An unending source of enjoyable and enlightening surprise.