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Scott Calibraxis

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The Outline of History: Being A Plain History of Life and Mankind

by H.G. Wells

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Aug 18, 2011 07:25PM

Scott Calibraxis is currently reading

The French Revolution Vol. 1

by Thomas Carlyle

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Scott Calibraxis said: " Reading "historical history," that is, books of history which were written in a preceding era, is essential for a serious reader. By reading the narrative as written, and at the same time filtering it through the lens of time and current historical t Reading "historical history," that is, books of history which were written in a preceding era, is essential for a serious reader. By reading the narrative as written, and at the same time filtering it through the lens of time and current historical thinking, one can get a rich, multi-layered experience. Of course, one must be prepared by having studied the subject matter through modern accounts.

This holds especially true for The French Revolution by Carlyle. One simply cannot pick up and read this work without a fairly strong knowledge of the history of the period. The author assumes familiarity with names and events. Furthermore, the narrative voice is so intensely opinionated, and the account of events is so personal and informed by author's beliefs, that the account must be viewed in the context of the many various interpretations and narratives of the Revolution. Even with a foundation in the history of the period, you will want to keep Wikipedia open.

Furthermore, Carlyle's views, which so clearly reflect preoccupations of his age and political viewpoint, and of course suffer from a narrowness of source materials (that have since become available to modern scholars), cannot possibly be taken at face value, and may only be understood within the appropriate context.

That said, reading his opinionated account can be much more compelling than trying to read one which is dry and disinterested. One cannot help thrilling to the heights of outrage that Carlyle reaches, and his lacerating wit and scorn is amazing.

One of the reasons to read this work is the incredibly beautiful and intense language Carlyle employs. His control and inventiveness, his deployment of metaphor, and his surprising turns of phrase are certainly some of the pinnacle achievements in English writing.

This book is a definite challenge to the reader, both for the degree of knowledge necessary to understand the narrative and put the author's personal views in context, and for the mental dexterity required to follow the difficult language the author uses. However, the richness of both the narrative and the writing style, and of course the dramatic and gripping events of the Revolution, are so extraordinary that the reader is more than paid back for such efforts. ...more "

Jun 27, 2012 07:45AM · see review