A New World Begins: The History of the French Revolution by Jeremy D. Popkin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A New World Begins is one of the best treatments of the French Revolution that I have come across. Beginning with the problems besetting the monarchy under Louis XVI in the 1780s to Napoleon’s coronation as emperor in 1804, it’s all here. The author has done an amazing job of providing a compelling narrative of the revolution, as it begins and then twists and turns and eventually morphs into something quite different from what it was at the start.

One of my history professors once told us that the French Revolution was really the beginning of modern politics, and as I read this book, I was again reminded of his observation. There’s a lot of material in this book, too much to really go into, but I do want to mention two topics that are not often found in books dealing with the French Revolution, but are covered in some detail here: the role of women in the Revolution, and the question of slavery and the rights of people of color.

If you are interested in this period of history, I strongly recommend this book.