Citizens

A Chronicle of the French Revolution

By: Simon Schama

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

From one of the truly preeminent historians of our time, this is a landmark book chronicling the French Revolution. Simon Schama deftly refutes the contemporary notion that the French Revolution represented an uprising of the oppressed poor against a decadent aristocracy and corrupt court. He argues instead that the revolution was born of a rift among the elite over the speed of progress toward modernity and science, social and economic change. Schama’s approach, weaving in and out of private and public lives in the fashion of a novel, brings us closer than we have ever been to the harrowing and seductive French Revolution.

©1989 Simon Schama (P)1990 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Good overview of the period

Great narration, beautiful prose, wonderful story telling, but a little lacking in analysis and conclusion

Worst recorded performance ever

This voice artist seems more interested in pronouncing his French words with flourish than he does actually speaking the text into the microphone. Dr. Schama’s brilliant text tends to disappear at times as the performer dips his voice away. And mind you THIS IS THE IMPROVED VERSION!!