[identity profile] victoriavandal.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] revolution_fr
I've just come across (whilst googling) a new book FOR CHILDREN called "Robespierre, Master of the Guillotine". The cover has what is easily the worst caricature of him I've ever seen (looking like a butch country squire), with the word 'Tyrant' graffiti'd across it in big blue letters, lest yer be in any doubt. It's in the 'Wicked History' series, which I presume is the U.S. equivalent of the G.B. 'Horrible Histories', and it looks like every damn library in the U.S. has a copy. It hasn't infested these shores yet, and there are no reviews on line, so, who knows, it may just be that it's using words like that as a marketing ploy to entice gore-minded children to read it, only to inform them in a lucid manner that Robespierre wasn't anything like the cackling baddie you see in all the films, etc..
But I doubt it.

Date: 2008-05-29 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bib-specialist.livejournal.com
I always thought Robespierre looked like Bob Hope.

Date: 2008-05-29 02:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] citoyenne.livejournal.com
and he actually looks weirdly like Michelle Pfieffer, with smallpox scars.
That's highly disturbing O_O The same goes for the book.

with the word 'Tryant' graffiti'd across it in big blue letters, lest yer be in any doubt.
Is there really necessary to set them up against Robespierre? You should think they already have a sufficient number of authorities to revolt against...

Date: 2008-05-29 02:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] trf-chan.livejournal.com
Excuse me while I throw up a little. -_-

Image

I. Just. AGH.

Date: 2008-05-29 04:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] estellacat.livejournal.com
WTF, he looks like a more assymmetrical version of Thomas Jefferson. My mind, it is broken. D:

Date: 2008-05-30 05:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gogo-sakura.livejournal.com
I personally approve of the shifty look in his eyes.

Date: 2008-05-29 02:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] maelicia.livejournal.com
That.

Is.

Just.

Not.

Possible.

Date: 2008-05-29 04:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] estellacat.livejournal.com
No. Just.... no. This is truly illness inducing. *gags* But why, oh why, am I not surprised. D:

Date: 2008-05-29 08:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sunliner.livejournal.com
That is... wrong. On so many levels.

Date: 2008-05-30 05:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] citoyenneclark.livejournal.com
Oh dear. Oh what have they done now. It proves that the Thermidorians are writing from the grave. (perhaps they are ghostwriting it?) :) Thank goodness I have yet to see one in a library. Travesty! Even horrible histories didn't sink THAT low!

Date: 2008-05-30 07:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] levielan.livejournal.com
I think it's the 'TYRANT' that really does it. I mean, even if that were true it would hardly be necessary to write it in massive letters on the front cover.

But actually, Horrible Histories are not *that* bad in terms of Thermidorian propaganda...though accuracy is another matter. As far as I know they don't have a book on the French Revolution, but I did manage to locate my old copy from when I was about seven of 'Rowdy Revolutions' and found the right section.

It could be worse. But this is their analysis of the causes of the Revolution:

"The poor peasants were forced to pay taxes they couldn't afford. Then they had an idea.

Peasant 1: Our American Friends had unfair taxes, didn't they? And they revolted and won!
Peasant 2: So why can't we French?"

On Marat's death: "A wise old proverb says, 'Those who live by the sword die by the sword.' And those who live by a bloodbath can sometimes die in a bloody bath. That's what happened to a leader of the French Revolution, Jean Paul Marat..."

Under the section on revolutionaries' last words: "French Revolutionary George Danton was just as daft. As he was led off to execution he cried, 'Take us to the guillotine now!' Well, they weren't going to take him off to a picnic in Paris, were they? Anyway, not everyone in his group of victims agreed! Danton's colleague, Desmoulins's famouls last words were not so brave. They were something like, 'Save us! Help! I don't want to die! Boo! Hoo!'"

OK, so that last bit is possibly essentially true. But...I don't know; I mean clearly he did not exactly go to his death bravely, but I always think it's a bit presumptuous of historians to criticise him for it. I mean, how brave do you think they'd be if they were going to the guillotine? Actually, who votes we find out? We could start with whoever wrote that Master of the Guillotine book...

Sorry. Not quite sure why I found it necessary to quote massive amounts of Horrible Histories. But have spent too much time typing it all up to want to delete it now...

Date: 2008-05-30 01:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] emma1794.livejournal.com
Oh God, not again. Why does this keep happening?!?!

I love Horrible Histories; they practically began my interest in History, but let's hope they don't bring out a GB version of this rubbish. :(

Date: 2008-05-31 12:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] livviebway.livejournal.com
There is another children's book about Robespierre aptly named Robespierre and the French Revolution by Tom McGowen. I skimmed through it once at my library and I felt it was fairly decent. Some of the old stereotypes and such, but I think it being somewhat balanced. Certainly no "tyrant!" scrawled across in giant letters.

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