outcome, which leads to the main point of his book: that a coalition of extreme-right leaders terminated French democracy in the wake of military defeat. Contrary to the widespread belief that the demise of the Third Republic was the whole political class’s doing, Nord argues that the Republic was“cornered into self-destruction”(111) by an alliance of army brass and senior civil servants who were “dead set on democracy’s demise”(152) and on regime change. To better account for this takeover, he underlines that democracy was still a novel concept in the light of recent history, like royalist electoral victories in 1871 and 1873,authoritarian threats like Boulanger and MacMahon, or fascist sympathizers in the 1930s. This book is a great read for a fresh look at the somber turn of events of the late 1930s and a comprehensive understanding of what unfolded. Southwestern University (TX) Francis Mathieu Ramakrishnan, Mahadevi, and R. Scott Smith. Interplay of Cultural Narratives in Martinique: French, African, and Indian Journeys toward a Pluralistic Society. Pompano Beach, FL: Caribbean Studies, 2015. ISBN 978-1-62632-370-4. Pp. 282. $24.50. This comprehensive study examines the evolution of Martinique’s hybrid society, beginning with Columbus’s discovery of the island in 1502 and continuing to the present day. Building on the premise that contextualizing emigration patterns can lead to an understanding of the interaction between host communities and immigrant groups, Ramakrishnan and Smith skillfully weave together multiple historical narratives and psychological factors that contribute to a broad understanding of the complex Martinican identity. The book is intended for introductory or intermediate students in a range of fields, including but not limited to French and Francophone studies, African and Caribbean studies, and cross-cultural psychology. A detailed glossary and discussion questions, found at the conclusion of each chapter, enable the authors to provide an excellent introduction on Martinican cultural history to students at the undergraduate level. Each of the ten chapters, arranged chronologically, focuses on a different community’s influence on Martinican society. Ramakrishnan and Smith frequently refer to Martinican society as a“braided society”(vi), and the appropriateness of this term is made evident by the structure of the book. The authors rely on a variety of sources, including historical documents, literary works, and especially a large number of personal communications with faculty at Université des Antilles, and consequently present a clear and coherent narrative of Martinican society. Two chapters are of particular note. Chapter 4 examines the complex plantation system in Martinique during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The authors present expected information, such as the structure of plantation society, the methods of 250 FRENCH REVIEW 89.4 Reviews 251 transporting and selling slaves, and the mechanisms of control once slaves entered the plantation system. They also explain the ramifications of the plantation system on the French economy, thereby allowing students to understand the reciprocal relationship between the colony and the metropole. Chapter 7 is also notable for its chronicle of the narratives of Indian indentured servants that arrived in Martinique following the 1848 abolition of slavery. Ramakrishnan and Smith clarify Tamil terms and explain the structure of Tamil society, both of which might otherwise confuse those unfamiliar with Indian culture. Furthermore, they frequently draw comparisons between the treatment of indentured Tamil workers and former African slaves in order to demonstrate the emotional toll that servitude had on both individuals and on Tamil culture during their integration into the established Martinican societal structure. Enhancing the book is the inclusion of many photographs that are part of the authors’ personal collection that serve to illustrate their arguments. Faculty wishing to integrate this book into their curriculum should be aware of some minor editing issues that, while they do not significantly alter the quality of the scholarship, may pose problems to less-experienced readers. Several sentences on pages containing photographs are left incomplete, but these do not impede comprehension and should not discourage the incorporation of an otherwise excellent contribution to the field. Ithaca College (NY) Rachel Paparone Rudolph, Nicole C. At Home in Postwar France: Modern Mass Housing and the Right to Comfort. New York: Berghahn, 2015. ISBN 978-1-78238-587...