Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon

By: Suzanne M. Desan, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Suzanne M. Desan

Length: 24 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

The 25 years between the onset of the French Revolution in 1789 and the Bourbon Restoration after Napoleon in 1814 is an astonishing period in world history. This era shook the foundations of the old world and marked a permanent shift for politics, religion, and society - not just for France, but for all of Europe. An account of the events alone reads like something out of a thrilling novel:

• France’s oppressed and hungry masses rise up against their government.
• In Paris, crowds storm the Bastille looking for bread and weaponry.
• Rumors, panic, and fear grip the nation as it faces an uncertain future.
• The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the first bold step toward the invention of democratic politics and a republican state.
• A young Corsican named Napoleon Bonaparte stuns Europe with his military strategy and political boldness.

Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon is your opportunity to learn the full story of this captivating period. Taught by Dr. Suzanne M. Desan, these 48 exciting lectures give you a broad and comprehensive survey of one of the most important eras in modern history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2013 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2013 The Great Courses

I was on the fence for a while

The idea of downloading a 24 hour audiobook about a single subject can either be a colossal waste or a great opportunity to learn a great chunk of knowledge. The audiobook has to be well done. I started listening to this about an hour every night when going for a walk, and I found it to be very interesting and very well narrated. It got to the point where even on nights when I was too lazy to go for a walk, I forced myself to walk because it offered me an excuse to listen to another hour of this audiobook. The narrator is perfect and I felt I really gained a great perspective on this time period in history.

Incredible

So deep and rich, she allowed me to have the facts whilst I was able to apply my sensibilities to really gain the deepest of understandings!

Completely changed my view of French History

I had not been very interested in French History, but gave this a shot anyway. After listening to at least half a dozen other Great Courses, I found Professor Desan to be the most knowledgeable and clearest presenter of all. The period of history turns out to be quite fascinating, thanks in no small part to her clear and organized method of telling the story. Buy this course, you will not be disappointed.

Fantastic overview of French Revolution.

Easily the best of the Great Courses I’ve heard and the closest to my undergrad lectures at Harvard. This is history both large and small—overarching synthesis and context combined with fine detail to give you a true sense of the significance and influence of the French Revolution. I found Doyle’s shorter 4 hour The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction helpful to set the table for this course. I picked up an intellectual history of the French Revolution to tackle next—I feel this course gave me some grounding and confidence to proceed. Enjoy!

A history lecture of magnanimous diversity.

Delivered with astonishing detail and in depth understanding of the people struggles, the wars of Boneparte, the terror, and the circus of Revolution within France itself. France may well be the Melting pot of both extreme radicalism, and overwhelming liberalism. Both ends promising so much and yet even great like Napoleon cannot keep events from drowning all those involved. Suzanne has given me a more realistic, compassionate understanding of Robespierre. Certainly a complicated man, misunderstood due to his role in the terror. A man with only French greatness in his heart and mind who inevitably falls victim to his own misuse of the ever abused "safety over liberty" paranoia. Comprehensive and extremely detailed to the last, a must for any true lovers of history and it's complex web of nearly unbelievable tales.

Masterful series

Professor Desan did a wonderful job telling the story of the French Revolution in an approachable and engaging way. Each lecture is so carefully worded and thoughtfully structured. Her use of rhetorical questions to pause at junctures for reflection on broader themes helps cement key lessons from each chapter. The series was in no way deficient on this subject, but even more focus on the Empire would have been appreciated by this reviewer given its duration relative to the Revolution’s more tumultuous years. Hands down, one of the best historical lecture series I have come across so far.

Interesting but very lefty Marxist take on a subject

I don’t question the depth of knowledge, erudition and passion on the subject. Still this course can be read without any changes in a Soviet University in 1970-early 1980th (when I was a student in one of those universities ). It’s thoroughly Marxist radical left view of the subject. To cite one example author tread lightly over the Jacobin terror in slightly regretful but understanding tone, to reserve her passion and much more details to denunciations of the Gironde or so called white terror. Interesting that completely missing are comparisons to Russian revolution, Terror and Stalinism which were much closer in nature to French Revolution and buonopartism than comparative analysis to American revolution and central and South American liberation. The latter ones were not so much social and political revolutions than anti colonial liberation movements.

Very good

I feel it gave me a great intro topic and very engaging. I am a bit of a history fan but knew very little about the French revolution and its ramifications. There was a lot of information but presented well so easy to understand.

Highly recommend it.

I listened to it over a two day period at double speed. My only complaint is the applause at the beginning and end of lectures.

Enjoyed the format

I enjoyed the lecture format and the narrator was authoritative and easy to listen to. I will be seeking out additional content in The Great Courses offerings.