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The French Revolution
Alistair Horne
$45.00
ISBN: 1847321674
Format: Hardcover
 
Pub Date: 12/01/2008
Publisher:
Shipping Weight: 3.88lbs
   
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This book is an elegant hardback which comes in its own hardboard slipcase. The text is a very readable recounting of the course of the French Revolution beginning with a summary of the reign of Louis XIV and then proceeding with profusely illustrated 2-page spreads on the summoning of the Estates-General in 1787, the Tennis Court Oath, the Storming of the Bastille, The Attack on the Clergy, the attempted Flight of the King, the Rule of Danton, Marat, & Robespierre, the executions of King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette, the Terror of 1793-1794; the overthrow of the Committee of Safety in the month of Thermidor (July), 1794; the arrival of Napoleon in Paris in 1795. The book concludes with a brief summary of the four years of rule by the Directory (1795-1799) and its eventual overthrow by Napoleon now a military hero for his victories over Austria in northern Italy, and in Egypt against the British.

What really distinguishes this book are its extensive use of contemporary images: paintings, engravings, newspaper cartoons, and eyewitness accounts. Not only are these images reproduced in full color on every page, but the book also includes 30 facsimile reproductions of important documents and artifacts. There is a hand-written extract from the Tennis Court Oath, the original text of the Declaration of the Rights of Man (which American ambassador Thomas Jefferson helped to draft), Marie-Antoinette’s last letter, and Napoleon’s notes from the Siege of Toulon. There is no better way to introduce students to the historical reality of the French revolution. The book is a feast for the eyes and a stunning visual evocation of the past.

I find the events of the French Revolution tragic in most respects, but its significance is immense. One cannot understand the modern world without coming to grips with it. The textbooks almost always compress it into an incomprehensible short set of paragraphs and suggest connections and continuity with the American Revolution. This book is an effective way to help students understand what those who lived through the times experienced. The text is written for high school students and up.

The French Revolution is a 64 page slip-cased hardback, with 30 facsimile documents enclosed.
 
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