French Revolution

by Albert Goodwin

Originally published in 1956, this masterly essay weaves together the results of research with an independence of judgement which could only come from a long-established expert in the field of Revolutionary studies. The book examines the causes of the French Revolution and the economics involved in the weakness of France's pre-revolutionary form of government as well as the administrative complexity which was an effective stumbling block in the way of monarchy. As well as charting key events in the revolution, the conclusion discusses the significance of the French Revolution in the context of other revolutions in both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

175 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

Reviews

[Robert Strupp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative treatment of the economic, political and social situations before and during the '1789' French Revolution. Do not read this book if you want blood curdling descriptions of the slaughters, because there are none. Written in 1956 (for y0u Common Core math kiddies, that's 61 years ago), it has numerous obsolete words and makes assumptions of the 1956 reader's knowledge. In other words, even at 182 pages, it is very slow reading (why I gave it only 3 stars) but contains valuable information. I'm glad to have read it and, now, look forward to reading a book with blood curdling descriptions of the slaughters...

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good supplementary reading on the revolution if you, like me, require constant reminding of the distinctions between the many coups, massacres and firebrands that characterised the time from the Estates-General to the fall of Robespierre. Not suitable as an introduction to the Revolution.

[Andrew Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to the french revolution, clear and concise, gets across the main events without getting bogged down in the detail.

[Peter Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful short introduction to the revolution from 1789 to the fall of Robespierre. It reads much like a textbook, and is obviously a little dated now so is unlikely to be very helpful as a guide to further reading. It also feels somewhat truncated, finishing abruptly with the overthrow of Robespierre. But as an outline of the key events and themes, within those limits, very useful indeed.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sure a lot of research went into this 1953 book, but I got the impression it was written for his students rather than a wider audience as much of it assumed more knowledge of France in the 1700s than I possessed. Hence I don't feel much more enlightened now than before I read it, except to say the situation leading up to the Revolution was extremely complex. A glossary might have helped.