The Dynamite Club: How a Bombing in Fin-de-siecle Paris Ignited the Age of Modern Terror - Hardcover

Merriman, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618555986 ISBN 13: 9780618555987

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009

Synopsis

The fascinating story of a long-forgotten "war on terror" that has much in common with our own

On a February evening in 1894, a young radical intellectual named Émile Henry drank two beers at an upscale Parisian restaurant, then left behind a bomb as a parting gift. This incident, which rocked the French capital, lies at the heart ofThe Dynamite Club, a mesmerizing account of Henry and his cohorts and the war they waged against the bourgeoisiesetting off bombs in public places, killing the president of France, and eventually assassinating President McKinley in 1901.

Paris in the belle époque was a place of leisure, elegance, and power. Newly electrified, the city’s wide boulevards were lined with posh department stores and outdoor cafés. But prosperity was limited to a few. Most lived in dire poverty, and workers and intellectuals found common cause in a political philosophyanarchismthat embraced the overthrow of the state by any means necessary.

Yet in targeting civilians to achieve their ends, the dynamite bombers charted a new course. Seeking martyrdom, believing fervently in their goal, and provoking a massive government reaction that only increased their ranks, these "evildoers" became, in effect, the first terrorists in modern history.

Surprising and provocative, The Dynamite Club is a brilliantly researched account that illuminates a period of dramatic social and political changeand subtly asks us to reflect upon our own.

About this title

Product Description

Hardcover

Review

"In . . . his enthralling and cinematic account of a Paris cafe bombing in 1894, Merriman achieves that rare thing: virtuosic storytelling that doubles as superb history."--Kirk Davis Swinehart, Chicago Tribune
--Kirk Davis Swinehart "Chicago Tribune "

"Historically eye-opening and psychologically insightful."--Chuck Leddy, Boston Globe
--Chuck Leddy "Boston Globe "

"Reconstructing Henry's own attacks, Merriman allies a forensic eye with the texture of Paris de la belle epoque, ably renders Henry's personality, and implicitly invites comparison of his with the mid-sets of contemporary terrorists."--Gilbert Taylor, Booklist
--Gilbert Taylor "Booklist "

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0618555986
• ISBN 13: 9780618555987
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224