Liberty or Death: The French Revolution

Posted on 13 December 2017 by Peter McPhee

The French Revolution has fascinated, perplexed, and inspired for than two centuries It was a seismic event that radically transformed France and launched shock waves across the world In this provocative new history, Peter McPhee draws on a lifetime s study of eighteenth century France and Europe to create an entirely fresh account of the world s first great modern revolution its origins, drama, complexity, and significance Was the Revolution a major turning point in French even world history, or was it instead a protracted period of violent upheaval and warfare that wrecked millions of lives McPhee evaluates the Revolution within a genuinely global context Europe, the Atlantic region, and even farther He acknowledges the key revolutionary events that unfolded in Paris, yet also uncovers the varying experiences of French citizens outside the gates of the city the provincial men and women whose daily lives were altered or not by developments in the capital Enhanced with evocative stories of those who struggled to cope in unpredictable times, McPhee s deeply researched book investigates the changing personal, social, and cultural world of the eighteenth century His startling conclusions redefine and illuminate both the experience and the legacy of France s transformative age of revolution. Best Download Kindle ePUB Liberty or Death: The French Revolution By Peter McPhee – kino-fada.fr Every generation gets the French Revolution it deserves , and this book might be ours.Drawing parallels between long gone periods and one s own time can be tedious and pointless Nevertheless, here I go, inspired by this book I will attempt brevity minimizing tediousness and leave it to the reader to judge whether I have a point.Let X equal a profound idea revolutionary equality then, globalization now A small group of self styled original thinkers of the capital and similar large cities i Every generation gets the French Revolution it deserves , and this book might be ours.Drawing parallels between long gone periods and one s own time can be tedious and pointless Nevertheless, here I go, inspired by this book I will attempt brevity minimizing tediousness and leave it to the reader to judge whether I have a point.Let X equal a profound idea revolutionary equality then, globalization now A small group of self styled original thinkers of the capital and similar large cities introduce X into the public discourse Some people object to X You fail to understand the great benefit X will bring, the s s original thinkers say With that additional prosperity and brotherhood, we will haveresources to help those disadvantaged by the inevitable changes After a while, the thinkers convince a sufficient number of politicians and average citizens that X is a great idea Objectors, the thinkers say, are hopelessly shortsighted and or insufficiently interested ...Peter McPhee of the University of Melbourne is a scholar of modern France and has published extensively on the French Revolution In this well researched book he focuses on the events and effects of the Revolution outside Paris itself Most histories have dealt extensively with events in Paris, and the exploration of life and responses outside Paris provides an enhanced and important understanding of those pivotal years.In the late 18th century France was far from being a homogeneous country On Peter McPhee of the University of Melbourne is a scholar of modern France and has published extensively on the French Revolution In this well researched book he focuses on the events and effects of the Revolution outside Paris itself Most histories have dealt extensively with events in Paris, and the exploration of life and responses outside Paris provides an enhanced and important understanding of those pivotal years.In the late 18th century France was far from being a homogeneous country Only a minority of the population even spoke French, and laws, customs, and social structures varied greatly from place to place and region to region, usually the result of local history that was gradually amalgamated into a sort of loose ...A detailed history of the Revolution s effects on the whole range of French society McPhee uses interesting and even quirky primary sources to draw conclusions and make points about the minutiae of life in France during this period which makes it a revealing history that goes beyond the main characters and moments of the Revolution.While avoiding broad narrative strokes is, therefore, probably a deliberate choice, it s a choice that means the book lacks drama, emotional investment and a page A detailed history of the Revolution s effects on the whole range of French society McPhee uses interesting and even quirky primary sources to draw conclusions and make points about the minutiae of life in France during this period which makes it a revealing history that goes beyond the main characters and moments of the Revolution.While avoiding broad narrative strokes is, therefore, probably a deliberate choice, it s a choice that means the book lacks drama, emotional investment and a page turner quality for the reader At times it can read like a very long and complicated list of events, which is probably a very sober historical approach, but sucks the joy out of learning about the past For example, major events like the storming of the Bastille or the execution of the King are devoid of drama and a sense of significance, and complex characters like Robespierre get lost in ...A good look at the overall impact of the Revolution, particularly incorporating perspectives from outside of Paris The basic narrative as well as biographical portraits are included, but the impact on the normal citizens of France are clearly delineated A great medium between the shorter Hibbert classic, which does not analyze the impact of the events as well as McPhee does here, and the epic Schama vers...While I applaud the author s inclusion of multi dimensional impacts of the Revolution, such as changes to communal land use and the destruction of forests , it doesn t quite manage to become engaging in terms of storytelling This subject needn t be dry.They said to her in a harsh voice Cry out Long live the nation No no she said They made her climb onto a heap of corpses Then a killer seized her, tore off her dress and opened her belly She fell, and was finished off by the others So ended the life of the Princess de Lamballe, a close confidante of Marie Antoinette, in 1792.This harrowing episode is one of many documented in Peter McPhee s 2016 book about the French Revolution, Liberty or Death The French Revolution This They said to her in a harsh voice Cry out Long live the nation No no she said They made her climb onto a heap of corpses Then a killer seized her, tore off her dress and opened her belly She fell, and was...It seems a little unfair on Mr McPhee to review his excellent history of the French Revolution in such proximity to Simon Schama s awe inspiring Citizens, which I think has only risen in my estimations since I closed its covers This was just as comprehensive for which of course McPhee should be applauded but muchdethatched It s impeccably researched and clearly put forward, overflowing with statistics and percentages, dates and estimations But, to my sensationalist tastes, it was so It seems a little unfair on Mr McPhee to review his excellent history of the French Revolution in such proximity to Simon Schama s awe inspiring Citizens, which I think has only risen in my estimations since I closed its covers This was just as comprehensive for which of course McPhee should be applauded but muchdethatched It s impeccably researched and clearly put forward, ov...Blow by blow, systematic, exhaustive account of the causes, events and legacy of the French Revolution A fascinating read, and beautifully written.I highly recommend this book.I received a B.A degree in French years ago The study of French history and culture were included in the curriculum After graduation, I ve read several other history books specifically related to the French Revolution.This particular work was fargranular in detail than many of the other works It s scope was expansive but not to the extent that the author lost control of the narrative The major players throughout the revolution were identified and their driving divergent philosophies w I received a B.A degree in ...For a long time French Revolution fascinated me as a grand historical event and I have been searching for a solid history book that is neither a textbook nor a historical novel, only loosely based on evidence In other words, I have been looking for a popular history book, on the model of Gordon Wood s histories, aimed at a general, but educated and interested public I first tried Eric Hobsbawm s first installment of his trilogy, the Age of Revolution That didn t work, as it was mostly a theor For a long time French Revolution fascinated me as a grand historical event and I have been searching for a solid history book that is neither a textbook nor a historical novel, only loosely based on evidence In other words, I have been looking for a popular history book, on the model of Gordon Wood s histories, aimed at a general, but educated and interested public I first tried Eric Hobsbawm s first installment of his trilogy, the Age of Revolution That didn t work, as it was mostly a theoretical work, only briefly touching on the events of the French Revolution, and requiring a solid ba...

13 December 2017

Peter McPhee