Customer Reviews

The Oxford History of the French Revolution

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The Oxford History of the French Revolution, written by William Doyle, is easily the best narrative survey of the French Revolution out there today. Its a long and dense work to be sure, but given the length and complexity of the French Revolution (as well as the events that preceded it and immediately followed it) and Doyle's book is remarkably concise, while still covering all of the important events, personages, developments and issues in ample detail. In truth, it's really quite stunning that a history of just a few hundred pages is able to address not just internal politics, but matters of religion, diplomacy, ideology, economics, society, and war-- and to do so in a manner that flows smoothly and clearly. Some folks, of course, may whine about the book still being very dense or complex... but that's the way the French Revolution is-- and there's just no getting around that if you actually want to tell the whole story. The fact is that the Revolution isa remarkably tangled series of events and can't simply be reduced to a simple easy-to-follow story. That's that's why it actually forms its own subfield within the field of modern European history-- it's that big and and that complex. In sum, Doyle's book is an outstanding work of narrative history that covers its subject thoroughly-- although those looking for more detail on particulars will of course want to consult other works. Very highly recommended as an insightful to those interested in a good solid account of the French Revolution and a reference book even for scholars.

Excellent book, but beware that the Kindle book is the 1st edition (1989), while the paperback book is the 2nd edition (2002).

I wanted to learn about the French Revolution in less than 500 pages and after reading this book, I'm glad I bought it.

Doyle's tome is uniquely comprehensive without being burdensome. He methodically, yet briskly, establishes the patchwork of politics, economies and personalities of 18th Century France that conspired to lead the country into a terrifying and bloody Revolution.

There may be greater (and longer) books on the subject, but ounce-for-ounce, this is probably one of the best.

For such a detailed history, and for a one volume work on the French Revolution this is a detailed study, Doyle's book is surprisingly readable. He doesn't shortchange you on the minutiae of events as they unfolded, but also doesn't insult your intelligence by assuming you don't know anything. The pace of the narrative is almost novelistic, as the reader is thrust into the clamour and rage of the revolution. And at the same time, Doyle pauses at appropriate places to comment on the significance of events.

The main problem in understanding this book is the enormous number of people and factions involved. The index is vital. Unlike the previous reviewer, I wish the author had insulted my intelligence by assuming I did not know anything; some of the most key events and players are treated lightly, apparently because they are so well known by... everyone other than me. Still, seems solid and is readable, if not gripping.

To most historians, the French Revolution is the key event defining the emergence of the modern world in which we live today. Its bicentenary in 1989 was the occasion for a slew of books that examined its causes, personalities, and consequences from several different ideological and chronological perspectives. Among the most prominent was William Doyle's survey of the French Revolution. A noted historian of the period, Doyle offered something provided in few other works produced that year: a narrative that ranged from the accession of Louis XVI to the Treaty of Amiens and Napoleon Bonaparte's confirmation as First Consul in 1802. In doing so, he offered an analysis of the origins, events, and historical impact of the Revolution within a single interpretive framework, one that serves as a starting point for anyone seeking an introduction to this historically critical event.

Doyle's analysis begins with a survey of France under Louis XVI. Here he portrays a country under strain, governed by a monarchy ill-equipped to face the challenges before it. Though he identifies the cause of the Revolution as the economic crisis created by the bad harvests of the 1770s and 1780s, these exposed many of the long-term systemic problems of the French government. Uppermost among them was the ineffectual king, Louis XVI, a man whose vacillation and weakness Doyle frequently highlights as key to the ineffectual response to the events that followed. He also takes the times to describe the rich intellectual ferment of the time, as the Enlightenment provided many of the ideas and concepts that were introduced in an effort to address the problems plaguing the country.

The core of Doyle's account, though, is the period between 1789 and 1794. This period takes up nearly half of the book, containing as it does the pivotal events of the Revolution itself. One of the great strengths of Doyle's presentation of these years is his inclusion of events outside of Paris, which provides a more comprehensive understanding of the revolution as a national event and how the reaction of the provinces influenced events within the capital. Yet his account makes clear that it was the Paris commune that was the single most important factor driving events, as representatives continually were forced to make decisions with the reactions of the Paris mob uppermost in their considerations. The men who emerged as leaders during this period were the ones who could win over these crowds, yet Doyle makes it clear that men such as Robespierre were more often driven by events than driving them themselves.

Doyle concludes his history with the Directory, the emergence of Bonaparte, and the contemporary impact of the Revolution upon Europe. His incorporation of a European perspective is another of the book's strengths, illuminating the role of international affairs on the Revolution while also providing a fuller account of its broader impact outside of France itself. By this point military affairs were a paramount consideration, aiding to both the government's survival and the exportation of revolutionary ideas. Yet curiously Doyle does not dwell on this part in his conclusion, which nonetheless explains just how the Revolution came to shape so much of the political landscape, down to the very concepts and language used today.

The comprehensive and insightful nature of Doyle's examination is one of the main reasons why, two decades after its publication, his book remains the best single-volume study of the French Revolution. Though somewhat dry in its presentation, it nonetheless gives readers a clear narrative of events and a framework for understanding the origins and developments of the revolution, both within France and Europe. For anyone seeking to understand such a pivotal event in history, this is the book to read.

This book has all the virtues--and all the vices---of academic history. The facts are all there and the professor is admirably fair and balanced, so hard to find when the French Revolution is the subject at hand, but where's the passion? I confess I found myself constantly checking how many pages to go as I neared the end of these over four hundred dry pages. This is a book for the student more than the general reader looking for the passion behind the facts, or for exciting narrative. At the end I was happier to have finished than to have read this book.

As someone who new the essential basics of the French Revolution, I turned to this book with the hope of filling out my admittedly thin knowledge. In regards to this objective, the book delivered. It is loaded with an abundance of facts and relevant analysis. That said, I found the writing a bit dry and underwhelming. However, if you're looking for an educational rather than emotional/entertaining experience, then I would recommend this book to you. My critiques aside, I got what I was looking for and would probably read this book if given the chance to do it all over again. Just be warned, it's a bit of a slog.

As a student reading this book for a class focusing on the French Revolution I found it too dense for someone who has no previous knowledge of the revolution. Doyle packs A LOT of information into these 425 pages. He does not place emphasis on any particular people or events which makes understanding specific turning points difficult. However, I can imagine this book would be ideal for one who already has a thorough understanding of the French Revolution and is simply looking for a new perspective.