To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne Guillotined July 17, 1794 [Paperback]

William Bush (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

By William Bush (Professor Emeritus of French Literature at the University of Western Ontario). Recounts the dramatic true story of the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Compiegne, martyred during the French Revolution's 'Great Terror' and known to the world through their fictional representation in Gertrud von Le Fort's Song at the Scaffold and Francis Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites. Includes index and 15 photos. At the height of the French Revolution's 'Great Terror' a community of sixteen Carmelite nuns from Compiegne offered their lives to restore peace to the church and to France. Ten days after their deaths by the guillotine, Robespierre fell, and with his exectuion on the same scaffold the Reign of Terror effectively ended. Had God thus accepted and used the Carmelites' generous self-gift? Through Gertrud von Le Fort's modern novella, Song at the Scaffold, and Francis Poulenc's famed opera, Dialogues of the Carmelites, (with its libretto by Georges Bernanos), modern audiences around the world have become captivated by the mysterious destiny of these Compiegne martyrs, Blessed Teresa of St. Augustine and her companions. Now, for the first time in English, William Bush explores at length the facts behind the fictional representations, and reflects on their spiritual significance. Based on years of research, this book recounts in lively detail virtually all that is known of the life and background of each of the martyrs, as well as the troubled times in which they lived. The Compiegne Carmelites, sustained by their remarkable prioress, emerge as distinct individuals, struggling as Christians to understand and respond to an awesome calling, relying not on their own strength but on the mercy of God and the guiding hand of Providence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: ICS Publications; Limited edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935216677
• ISBN-13: 978-0935216677
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul-touching history, August 4, 2002

By 

T. Avallone (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne Guillotined July 17, 1794 (Paperback)

Let me just preface this by admitting my biases up front. I am a geeky Catholic academic who majored in history in college and this book was written by a geeky Orthodox academic. So if you fit into neither of those categories, it is possible that you might find this book either deadly dull or theologically offensive or both.

This is the true story of the 16 Carmelite nuns who specifically and actively consecrated themselves body and soul as a holocaust offering to restore God's peace to Revolutionary France that was then in the grip of The Terror. You may already be aware of the rudiments of their story from the fictionalized account by Gerturde von Le Fort "Song at the Scaffold" or the opera/theatrical production "Dialogues of the Carmelites." This book is the history behind those fictional accounts and acts to put a real face to these courageous women of faith. I cannot describe how deeply touched I was at the faith of these women. The account of their conduct from their "trial" to their execution was as heart-wrenching as it was uplifting. This was one of those stories that will forever resonate in my soul.

NOW....beyond the soul-stirring uplifting nature of this book, it was also darn good, well-researched, FASCINATING history. I look upon this book as the missing link to everything I have ever read on the French Revolution. Although admittedly as a specialist in Russian History, the French Revolution has never been big on my reading list. Every book I have ever read about the French Revolution seemed to be missing something (or maybe I just missed it) essential to my understanding of it. This is what I was missing....at the center of it all, the Republican forces were deeply committed to destroying not just the institution of the Church but religious faith in general. Yes, I knew that it was at least an ancillary part of it all, but this book pulled the scales from my eyes and showed how deliberate and focused the attack was. In light of what I learned, it isn't surprising at all to me that the French Revolution gave rise to the phenomenon known as The Terror. So in addition to being soul-stirring, I found this book to be a welcome addition to my understanding of the French Revolution and the forces that gave birth to The Terror.

Honestly, I can't wait to read this book again.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The French Revolution's True Martyrs, June 14, 2000

By 

Christine A. Oakes (Scotia, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne Guillotined July 17, 1794 (Paperback)

The book, To Quell the Terror, brings you into the times of the French Revolution as experienced by sixteen Carmelite nuns. The author brings us into the scene of the event that changed France forever. One may have heard or read a little about a "dark side" of the French Revolution. In this book one is able to experience the injustice and lunacy that dominated many of the leaders in those days. This book has touched me deeply and I will never forget these nuns from Compiegne and their inspiration to quell the madness raging all around them. The author has done a great service to bring us the true story, separating the facts from the fiction, that had previously been published in plays and books. I highly recommend this book to all who search a "higher plane" for the value of our earthly exsistance.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ultimate book on compiegne martyrs, February 25, 2002

By 

J. Anderson (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne Guillotined July 17, 1794 (Paperback)

This is a first-rate book, made important by intense and impeccable scholarship, and as well by genuine devotion on the author's part (himself an Orthodox Christian and an academic). William Bush's unadorned and concentrated understanding of the mystery of sacrifice hands this book a beautiful and finally essential aspect in revealing the holocaust of sixteen nuns against even Reason - Who bore the sons that made the madness. Bush wisely makes a book about more than religion and murder, and creates a perfect moving stream out of tidal events, making an awfully effective read. He takes especial pains to dissect the coming about of the holocaust from the view of innocents; the proposition of the choice to be made, the preparation, he even enters the interior lives of the Prioress and Mistress of Novices - aristocratic women living out the literal meaning of privilege. By keeping to the truth, Bush proves these women's gain of discernment and transparency, the silent witnessing so despised by the disciples of the Terror. This is a big book in a relatively thin guise. The author makes too much of the importance of Gertrude von Le Fort's fanciful tale, but his own commanding scholarship speaks for itself, and nothing can diminish the effectiveness of a magnificent effort. The cover bears a daring and beautiful photo of an oblation scene from a production of 'Dialogues of the Carmelites'.