[D35]≫ PDF Free Citizens A Chronicle of the French Revolution Simon Schama 9780679726104 Books

Citizens A Chronicle of the French Revolution Simon Schama 9780679726104 Books

Download As PDF : Citizens A Chronicle of the French Revolution Simon Schama 9780679726104 Books

Citizens A Chronicle of the French Revolution Simon Schama 9780679726104 Books

If you're writing a book involving the French Revolution (as I did about the Bastille key Lafayette gave to George Washington) or just intensely interested in the political history of liberty, you'll not want to miss reading this book. Immense in scope at almost a thousand pages, it introduces many interesting aspects of the French Revolution I hadn't found elsewhere. Given the wide coverage of the book, I'll have to forgive the author the few minor instances where his facts are not 100% right or he turns to areas not exactly "page-turning." Still, this encyclopedic book serves as a starting point for those wishing to pursue scholarship of the numerous details of this momentous event in human history. Time and again, it is referenced in subsequent works on the subject, and it may not be too far off to call it the "Bible of the French Revolution." Very well done!

Check out one of William J. Bahr’s books: George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul


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Citizens A Chronicle of the French Revolution Simon Schama 9780679726104 Books Reviews

Simon Schama is a master. Historians come and go, and while in academics, history has really only recently been elevated to the status of truly important for the well-rounded scholar, Schama delivers perhaps the strongest case why in "Citizens." He speaks to you in perfect narrative, and never forgets his audience. He brings you along through the personal accounts of the makers and shakers of the French Revolution. In that, he doesn't paint with a broad stroke, but rather gives the stuff of the gutter-- Not just the absolute apropos of the term Terror in the French Revolution, but sheds light into the steely, cold, indifference to the lives lost in the name of the dreams of tomorrow. Simon Schama offers a glimpse into a history from the top in Versailles to the bottom of Marseilles. He writes though not for the purpose of capitalizing on a good story with gritty details, but to lend perspective when a people can live in mass hysteria, blinded by fear and loathing, ambitious to a fault, and reckless in recovery. All around, good buy.
Reading "Citizens" made it obvious to me that the author is a subject matter expert on the French Revolution. Like most subject matter experts, Schama has developed strong opinions on the subject. In "Citizens", he isn't shy about asserting his own interpretation of the events before and during the Revolution. This interpretation may or may not entirely stack up with what you learned in school or through other readings on the subject. No matter; think of it as a compelling "professional opinion" on the Revolution worth your consideration and analysis. Whether a layman or serious student of the Revolution, I think you'll learn a great deal from this extensively researched work.

One of the reasons the French Revolution excites such interest even today is that it raises questions regarding how, in modern times, such levels of violence could be condoned and even actively promoted at the state level. Schama seems to agree with most historians, on this point at least, that the masses were essentially looking for people to blame for the persistently deplorable economic conditions following the great accumulation of national debt during the 1760s through 1780s. When the initial bloodletting did not improve matters significantly, more bloodshed logically had to follow, to peel back the layers of the supposed mass conspiracy that never truly existed. Eventually, improving military fortunes and the resultant expanding borders brought in the revenue needed to soothe the discontent and to allow the French to step back, assess the horrors that had been perpetrated, and eliminate the irrational headcases that continued to lobby for more bloodshed to no clearly evident practical end.

Where Schama asserts viewpoints counter to the mainstream is in numerous more focused treatments of the Revolution, such as the availability and exercise of royal privilege within the non-gentry (widespread according to Schama) or the significance of social drivers such as class for whether an individual chose to support or oppose the Revolution (insignificant according to Schama). These are argued cogently and usually with ample source material.

For most readers this book would probably rate five stars. I gave it four simply because I prefer a more detached treatment of historical topics, encouraging me to develop my own opinion. I really enjoyed the many hours spent reading this book.
Why four stars? It has been long recognised as a classic and I am surprised to see it weakly reviewed on . It rates its four stars.
It is now old, (1989 I think) but it was written by an extremely young historian who has since become almost disgustingly successful. So If you want to know how “success is done” in literature and the media you would be very well advised to read it as a starter. But DON’T treat it like a worthy text book. It is meant to read very swiftly, and you would be advised to do this. It is also rather long, and a fast read is a good way to take it all in.
Why should a young person read this? Because this is the way history should be presented to the layman and it should be read at great pace. Don’t pore over this book, shamelessly burn your way through it at a far higher pace than you would read a text book on the French revolution. If you are doing a history-course for grades, you can go back to pick-and-choose later.
What was the high point for me? Definitely it was the messy death of Robespierre. I rather enjoy disgustingly sanctimonious murderers getting their well-deserved end. Yucky but satisfying.
What character stood out? For me it was Talleyrand. (The highly irreligious bishop of Autun). An infinitely devious and cunning man but for all that; rather human.
If you're writing a book involving the French Revolution (as I did about the Bastille key Lafayette gave to George Washington) or just intensely interested in the political history of liberty, you'll not want to miss reading this book. Immense in scope at almost a thousand pages, it introduces many interesting aspects of the French Revolution I hadn't found elsewhere. Given the wide coverage of the book, I'll have to forgive the author the few minor instances where his facts are not 100% right or he turns to areas not exactly "page-turning." Still, this encyclopedic book serves as a starting point for those wishing to pursue scholarship of the numerous details of this momentous event in human history. Time and again, it is referenced in subsequent works on the subject, and it may not be too far off to call it the "Bible of the French Revolution." Very well done!

Check out one of William J. Bahr’s books George Washington's Liberty Key Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul