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The Terror: The Shadow of the Guillotine: France 1792--1794

Average customer rating:

Good Popular History
A Good Time to Not have Been in France

The Terror: The Shadow of the Guillotine: France 1792--1794
Graeme Fife
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Revolutionary | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312352247
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Customer Reviews:

Good Popular History.......2007-05-03

Graeme Fife's "The Terror" is a popularization of this horrific but fascinating subject. I mean that in a good way. This book lacks a traditional scholarly apparatus (i.e. footnotes) and is stronger on storytelling than analysis. Simon Schama's majestic "Citizens" is still the book to beat about the French Revolution. But if you perversely enjoy blood-chilling tales of political warfare and madness, as I do, you will like this book. Fife rolls out all the fearsome tales: the September massacres, the war against the Vendee, the political infighting that lead to the revolution devouring almost all its children. But Fife never loses sight of the dreadful human cost of the time: the shattered families, ruined lives and blasted populations and economy. When I finish a book like this I always thank heaven I live where I do, when I do. And hope we can learn the appropriate lessons about political humility, compromise, and, yes, charity.

A Good Time to Not have Been in France.......2006-11-16

One of the crazy periods in history was the time of 'The Terror' in France. From June 1793 to July 1794, it seems that the inmates were running the asylum. After a successful revolution where the king (Louis XVI) and queen (Marie Antoinette) were overthrown. Under the guise of security, a harsh, fanatical political organization assumed power under the name, the Committee for Public Safety. Quick to condemn almost anyone, it was enough for a neighbor to make an accusation and the accused was off to the Guillotine.

During those thirteen months at least 15,000 and perhaps as many as 40,000 people were killed. Finally they had gone to far. And the remaining leaders of the Committee had their own meeting with the Guillotine on July 28, 1794. This book does an excellent job of recording the Committee's descent into its own insanity.

The book ends with the execution of Robespiere, Saint-Just and the others. After this came Napoleon. It was a good time to not be in France.

Note though that the age of the Guillotine was not over. It continued in use as the official form of execution in France until the death penalty was abolished in 1981. Perhaps its widest use was by the Nazi's during their own reign of terror in which it has been estimated that some 40,000 people to have guillotined; possibly more than were beheaded during the French Revolution.

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