... The French Revolution
First sentence
So far we have examined the different ways in which successive generations of historians have interpreted the French Revolution; we have also discussed its origins and examined the question of why the Revolution broke out in France when it did...
Description
The book that established Thomas Carlyle's reputation when first published in 1837, this spectacular historical masterpiece has since been accepted as the standard work on the subject. It combines a shrewd insight into character, a vivid realization of the picturesque, and a singular ability to bring the past to blazing life, making it a reading experience as thrilling as any novel. As John D. Rosenberg observes in his Introduction, The French Revolution is "one of the grand poems of [Carlyle's] century, yet its poetry consists in being everywhere scrupulously rooted in historical fact."--Publisher.