July 14th: The Storming of the Bastille (230 years Later)
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Hello 1000 Bookies--
Today is the 230th Anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, the seminal event that triggered the French Revolution which deposed the Bourbon monarchy, set up the French republic and lead to the rise of Napoleon. The French Revolution led to the creation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Oath of the Tennis Court and the formation of the National Assembly, still the legislature of the French. Coming on the heels of the American Revolution, the French Revolution was far more violent and ultimately did not end the same as the American counterpart. One just has to look at the The Reign of Terror and the use of the guillotine to see that.
1000 Books to Read Before You Die has two interesting books on the list dealing with the French Revolution--Reflections on the Revolution in France by Sir Edmond Burke (maybe a relation?) and the timeless A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities is only one of two Dickens novels based on actual events, the other Barnaby Rouge. A Tale of Two Cities has unforgettable quotes and characters. The lives of Lucy Manette, Sidney Carton, Charles Darnay and Madame Defarge have permeated our culture. The Best of Times and the Worst of Times line has been used throughout the ages including Star Trek in the 23rd Century.
The Bastille was a prison, generally for political prisoners. The Bastille was a symbol of oppression by an autocratic regime. After it was stormed by the mob of Paris, an iron key was sent to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette and was kept at Mount Vernon. The Bastille was later destroyed. In the years to come, Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette would lose their heads, the names of Marat, Danton and Robespierre would go down in history and in 1814 the monarchy would be restored. Today marks the beginning.
Enjoy these books and Keep Reading My Friends!!
Hello 1000 Bookies--
Today is the 230th Anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, the seminal event that triggered the French Revolution which deposed the Bourbon monarchy, set up the French republic and lead to the rise of Napoleon. The French Revolution led to the creation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Oath of the Tennis Court and the formation of the National Assembly, still the legislature of the French. Coming on the heels of the American Revolution, the French Revolution was far more violent and ultimately did not end the same as the American counterpart. One just has to look at the The Reign of Terror and the use of the guillotine to see that.
1000 Books to Read Before You Die has two interesting books on the list dealing with the French Revolution--Reflections on the Revolution in France by Sir Edmond Burke (maybe a relation?) and the timeless A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities is only one of two Dickens novels based on actual events, the other Barnaby Rouge. A Tale of Two Cities has unforgettable quotes and characters. The lives of Lucy Manette, Sidney Carton, Charles Darnay and Madame Defarge have permeated our culture. The Best of Times and the Worst of Times line has been used throughout the ages including Star Trek in the 23rd Century.
The Bastille was a prison, generally for political prisoners. The Bastille was a symbol of oppression by an autocratic regime. After it was stormed by the mob of Paris, an iron key was sent to George Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette and was kept at Mount Vernon. The Bastille was later destroyed. In the years to come, Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette would lose their heads, the names of Marat, Danton and Robespierre would go down in history and in 1814 the monarchy would be restored. Today marks the beginning.
Enjoy these books and Keep Reading My Friends!!
"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”
Sidney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities
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