The Great Cat Massacre : And Other Episodes in French Cultural History

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing book
Review: Darnton's book is a series of essays on the life of the common folk in Enlightenment France. Its topics are superb, ranging from fairy tales to cat massacres. Darnton is thorough in his approach and writes well, keeping his audience entertained.

As a result of the book's essays and the conclusions we make about their participants, we realize that 18th century Frenchmen were vastly different from their contemporary progeny, yet also remarkably human. It's the kind of work that leaves Goosebumps as the author's arguments stack neatly into place, and a formerly incomprehensible event suddenly becomes clear.

The book does have an identity problem. It's caught between academia and pop nonfiction. Some chapters are fascinating-especially the chapter which shares the book's title, "The Great Cat Massacre"-others are tedious in that academic way, citing works, exhausting every possible angle, and so on.

I first read this book in a high school history class, and then recently reread it-over ten years later. In the atmosphere of a class, it was a witty, exciting alternative to standard texts, and thrilled us by revealing how the study of history can give insight into human nature. Outside class, however, I skipped over passages, skimmed conclusions, and failed to give it the same attention I had in class.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing book
Review: Darnton's book is a series of essays on the life of the common folk in Enlightenment France. Its topics are superb, ranging from fairy tales to cat massacres. Darnton is thorough in his approach and writes well, keeping his audience entertained.

As a result of the book's essays and the conclusions we make about their participants, we realize that 18th century Frenchmen were vastly different from their contemporary progeny, yet also remarkably human. It's the kind of work that leaves Goosebumps as the author's arguments stack neatly into place, and a formerly incomprehensible event suddenly becomes clear.

The book does have an identity problem. It's caught between academia and pop nonfiction. Some chapters are fascinating-especially the chapter which shares the book's title, "The Great Cat Massacre"-others are tedious in that academic way, citing works, exhausting every possible angle, and so on.

I first read this book in a high school history class, and then recently reread it-over ten years later. In the atmosphere of a class, it was a witty, exciting alternative to standard texts, and thrilled us by revealing how the study of history can give insight into human nature. Outside class, however, I skipped over passages, skimmed conclusions, and failed to give it the same attention I had in class.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most interesting books I ever read
Review: I read this book many years ago, and still remember it as one of the best, most interesting books I ever read. Based on the premise that all the books that state that the Enlightnment mind (pre French Revolution)was very similar to ours are wrong, this book sets out to prove, through glimpses of each class, (monarchy, peasant, the growing craftsman class, etc.) that there was a huge difference in the way they thought, and through that manner of thought, lived their lives. VERY worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting book!
Review: I thought this was a great book. Granted I'm a French major, but I think history buffs and other people interested in cultural history would enjoy it as well. Darnton's writing is easy to digest and the subjects of his essays are always interesting. While some essays can be very academic in nature at times, on the whole this book is for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are in academia.

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting book!
Review: I thought this was a great book. Granted I'm a French major, but I think history buffs and other people interested in cultural history would enjoy it as well. Darnton's writing is easy to digest and the subjects of his essays are always interesting. While some essays can be very academic in nature at times, on the whole this book is for everyone, regardless of whether or not they are in academia.