Synopsis
Winner of the Wolfson History Prize 2010 and the 2010 National Jewish Book Award for Biography
Ruth Harris writes beautifully and engagingly on a moment in French history that polarized society and undermined the French state; the repercussions of which were felt up to the outbreak of the Second World War.
At the end of September 1894 a charlady stole an undated and unsigned letter from the wastepaper bin of the German military attaché in Paris. Torn to pieces but stuck back together by French intelligence, this document contained French military secrets. By the middle of October a Jewish captain in the army called Alfred Dreyfus was accused of being its author. As it turned out, he was entirely innocent, but at the time few questioned the verdict of the subsequent court martial, nor the unanimous decision to sentence him to a life of penal servitude. Public opinion was outraged, and the War Minister, General Auguste Mercier, asked for the reintroduction of the death penalty so Dreyfus could be guillotined. Although the request was turned down, Dreyfus was still subjected to special conditions: rather than going to New Caledonia like other transported convicts, he was sent to the much harsher Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana, and condemned to solitary confinement in murderous conditions. The French authorities did not expect - and probably did not want - him to survive.
So undisputed was Dreyfus' conviction that no one had any inkling it would be queried, let alone that the case would become the scandal that nearly brought down the French state. It changed the political course of the nation and transformed the way the country viewed itself and was viewed by others.
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About the Author
Ruth Harris is a Fellow and tutor in Modern History at New College, Oxford and is the author of the highly acclaimed Lourdes.
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Man on Devil's Island: Alfred Dreyfus and the Affair That Divided France
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The Man on Devil's Island
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Paperback. Condition: New. Winner of the Wolfson History Prize 2010 and the 2010 National Jewish Book Award for BiographyRuth Harris writes beautifully and engagingly on a moment in French history that polarized society and undermined the French state; the repercussions of which were felt up to the outbreak of the Second World War.At the end of September 1894 a charlady stole an undated and unsigned letter from the wastepaper bin of the German military attaché in Paris. Torn to pieces but stuck back together by French intelligence, this document contained French military secrets. By the middle of October a Jewish captain in the army called Alfred Dreyfus was accused of being its author. As it turned out, he was entirely innocent, but at the time few questioned the verdict of the subsequent court martial, nor the unanimous decision to sentence him to a life of penal servitude. Public opinion was outraged, and the War Minister, General Auguste Mercier, asked for the reintroduction of the death penalty so Dreyfus could be guillotined. Although the request was turned down, Dreyfus was still subjected to special conditions: rather than going to New Caledonia like other transported convicts, he was sent to the much harsher Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana, and condemned to solitary confinement in murderous conditions. The French authorities did not expect - and probably did not want - him to survive.So undisputed was Dreyfus' conviction that no one had any inkling it would be queried, let alone that the case would become the scandal that nearly brought down the French state. It changed the political course of the nation and transformed the way the country viewed itself and was viewed by others. Seller Inventory # LU-9780141014777
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The Man on Devil's Island (Paperback)
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Penguin Books Ltd, London, 2011
ISBN 10: 0141014776
ISBN 13: 9780141014777
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Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. WINNER OF THE 2010 NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY'Masterly . . . adds a new level of learning to the affair that defined twentieth-century France . a book that will fascinate all those who love truth, love justice and love France, despite its many flaws' NIGEL JONES, DAILY TELEGRAPHIn 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was wrongfully convicted of spying for Germany, publicly disgraced and sentenced to solitary confinement for life on Devil's Island. It was a miscarriage of justice that would unleash violent hatreds, tear France apart and stun the world. The Man on Devil's Island explores the clashing ideals, passions and personalities that defined both sides in the battle over Dreyfus, drawing on thousands of letters to offer a new understanding of one of the most defining moments in recent history. 'An extraordinary study of the affair as a tragic drama that swept up a man, his family and friends, and French society' ROBERT GILDEA, NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS'Beautiful and complex . . . scrupulous and well-written' CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS'A re-examination of the Dreyfus Affair that offers some remarkable new perspectives . . . a highly imaginative, deeply-researched inquiry' MICHAEL MARRUS, THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT At the end of September 1894 a charlady stole an undated and unsigned letter from the wastepaper bin of the German military attache in Paris. Torn to pieces but stuck back together by French intelligence, this document contained French military secrets. This title discusses a moment in French history. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780141014777
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The Man on Devil's Island: Alfred Dreyfus and the Affair That Divided France
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Softcover. Condition: As New. Leichte Kratzer / Abnutzungen / Druckstellen. At the end of September 1894 a charlady stole an undated and unsigned letter from the wastepaper bin of the German military attache in Paris. Torn to pieces but stuck back together by French intelligence, this document contained French military secrets. This title discusses a moment in French history. Seller Inventory # 807a1056-afd4-459e-8bd5-4565a266124d
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The Man on Devil's Island: Alfred Dreyfus and the Affair that Divided France
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The Man on Devil's Island: Alfred Dreyfus and the Affair That Divided France. Ruth Harris
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Condition: New. 2011. Paperback. At the end of September 1894 a charlady stole an undated and unsigned letter from the wastepaper bin of the German military attache in Paris. Torn to pieces but stuck back together by French intelligence, this document contained French military secrets. This title discusses a moment in French history. Num Pages: 560 pages, Illustrations. BIC Classification: 1DDF; 3JH; BGH; HBJD; HBLL. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 198 x 130 x 25. Weight in Grams: 380. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780141014777