Europe between revolutions, 1815-1848 (Fontana history of Europe) - Softcover

Droz, Jacques

Softcover

ISBN 10: 000632732X ISBN 13: 9780006327325

Publisher: Collins, 1971

Synopsis

This is one of those brief reviews that pretty much assumes you are already familiar with what it covers. As such, do not expect to be introduced to the basic outlines of the history of Europe between 1815 and 1848. Rather, expect to be subjected to a barrage of obscure (to me) names that are simply mentioned without any explanation: do you know who Charles Dunoyer is? How about Pellegrino Rossi? Nikolaus Becker? Armand Carrell? These and many dozen others that I had never heard of are quickly exhibited, perhaps with a handful of words to describe them, and then never referred to again. This is ostensibly done to provide illustrative examples of some trend or school of thought the author is addressing--which, of course, is made no less mysterious. Since the focus here is on the development of social and political ideas, no matter how evanescent, the names usually pertain to the editor of some radical or reactionary European journal, or to some pioneering university professor. In the same manner, events are mentioned but never described--the reader must already know. The sensation is one of overhearing a cocktail-party conversation between experts in nineteenth-century European history. There are, of course, helpful nuggets to be gleaned now and then; and the general intellectual feel of the age comes through, as thinkers of all stripes attempted to interpret the upheavals of the French Revolution, and engage, with varying degrees of reluctance, the demands of modernism. But the thinkers, and their thoughts, are only cursorily sketched. All in all, a frustrating read for someone needing an introduction to the subject

About this edition

• Publisher: Collins
• Publication date: 1971
• ISBN 10: 000632732X
• ISBN 13: 9780006327325
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 286