(no subject)

[mersirena.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone could recommend the best, most informative non-fiction books on the French Revolution. I'll be purchasing several, as I need a broad range of topics, from music and art, to politics and economics. I browsed through quite a few entries, but I mostly found recommendations for novels and the like.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[neuropathology.livejournal.com]

I'm in the middle of Ruth Scurr's biography of Robespierre, Fatal Purity, and it's very good. Obviously, I can't give you a complete review of it because I'm not done, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get a grasp on most everything that's known about the enigma who was Robespierre as well as those who want a good overview of the political, social, and economic climates of pre-Revolution provincial France and Paris up until the Thermidorian Reaction.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Having finished Fatal Purity, I wouldn't recommend it in particular. I've read a lot of biographies of Robespierre and this one not only brings nothing particularly new to the table, it doesn't keep in mind what others have had to say before it or make much use of the newest studies. Moreover, Scurr makes some questionable judgments on her subject that don't seem paricularly well-supported. Still, with the possible exception of G. Rudé, you're not likely to find much better in English, unfortunately.

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

^This about sums up my thoughts on Fatal Purity, too. To my (admittedly foggy, since I read it 2 years ago) recollection, it starts out pretty good and gradually gets worse. I think there was one point where I was tempted to throw the damn thing across the room, but I don't remember what part of the book that was. XD;

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I second your recollections and add that I read it 2 years ago as well, which would be reason for not giving more specific examples.