Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood: France in Revolution by Olivier Bernier


Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood: France in Revolution
Title : Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood: France in Revolution
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ISBN : -
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : -
Publication : First published January 1, 1989

This book is a unique history of the French Revolution - a colorful, insightful, and impassioned recounting of the events that signaled the birth of modern France and, indeed, the modern world. In the space of just a few years, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette descended from immense popularity and unquestionable power to a place on the scaffold. Beginning with the storming of the Bastille, the government of France went from oligarchy to near anarchy, and finally, to the formation of a republic. Along the way, the names of the major players - from Marat and Robespierre to Talleyrand and Mirabeau - were etched into the history of France as well as the rest of the world.

Award-winning historian and biographer Olivier Bernier has turned to primary sources - including the correspondence of Marie Antoinette, the journals of the governess of the royal children, eyewitness accounts, and newspapers and journals of the time - to make sense of the rapid and profound change the Revolution incited. Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood is a stirring account of one of the most fascinating and significant periods in history.

Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood: France in Revolution Reviews

  • A

    Another general overview of the French Revolution as it seems i need multiple retellings to be able to keep the events, moods and people straight (and this won't be my last general history either). This book covers the topic admirably. Straightforward, written for clarity and not to score author points, i appreciated his viewpoint and story stresses. For the whole story - soup to nuts in 400 pages- can't be beat.

  • Dan Rheingans

    This work by Bernier was very enlightening. I learned a ton about a period I knew only a little about. His writing style was very approachable, and while repetitive in some arguments, kept the narrative going smoothly. The drama between King, Queen, the Mob and the various political groups was fascinating and depressing. It was amazing to see how many moments were missed that led to the devolution of the ancien regime. Definitely a worthy read. It may be an older book, and I have not a clue as to what the historiography has said in response to Bernier's arguments or latter investigations have built on this work from 1990, as it is not an area of expertise for me, but I learned a lot from it and would suggest to others who have an interest in the French Revolution.