5 Books About the French Revolution

On the 14th of July, 1789, the people of France took matters into their own hands for once and stormed the Bastille Prison, reducing it to nothing as an act of revolution against the monarchy - Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. After this, there were riots, acts of violence and war against their current regime. It was a revolution that would, along the way, eat itself up and be thrown back up with incredible irony.

I have always been interested in the French Revolution and I think that now is a great time to share with you my top five books about France during these times. These are all non-fiction texts that I felt have taught me something incredible about the way we think about the French Revolution today. This was a time in history that was shaped by hunger, anger and power. Ultimately, it did fall with people like Robespierre who watched over the people during his 'reign of terror' and the Emperor Napoleon coming and screwing everything up, losing the war and ultimately, being banished and dying in exile.

So, here are five books that you can read to learn more about the French Revolution on what is its 231st anniversary.

5. The Oxford Handbook to the French Revolution by David Andress

For everything you need to know about the French Revolution, you need to read this book. It is basically a damned dictionary of the whole thing. I've never seen a book with so much detail about one set of about forty or so years. It is a political masterpiece but at the same time it is entertaining, informative and with any side of the revolution you're looking at - it's the perfect book for the situation.

4. The Comings of the French Revolution by Georges Lefebvre

This is a book that I picked up from the bookstore whilst studying my MA (so more recent than the books by Burke, Hibbert, Andress and Carlyle!). I initially picked it up only because I was interested in the revolution but, when I read it, I found out that it was an opening from the old world to the new. This book basically argues that the modern world was born with the French Revolution and that with the Age of Reason and the Romantic Period, we created new, awesome ideas of philosophy and science that would reign supreme in the coming 200 or so years. He's not wrong.

3. The French Revolution by Christopher Hibbert

I read this as a part of researching for an essay on 'number 1' on this list and so, I naturally read something written more recently that Edmund Burke's text. I found that in this book there was a lot of observation, not so much opinion but I learnt a ton of stuff about the political situation in France. I think that looking back on it as a historical event is very important and you will find that we see it in a slightly new light to how they saw it at the actual time of the revolution.

2. The French Revolution by Thomas Carlyle

One of my favourite books on the revolution ever. It is a book that contains multiple strange side-notes of philosophy and rhetorical questions. Thomas Carlyle basically asks you what it's worth and what is worth dying for along the way. Beginning with the Death of Louis XV, this book takes us through history in the making and every single detail that leads up to the revolution actually taking place. Carlyle does not miss a single beat.

1. Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke

I read this one whilst I was at university and I can honestly say that it opened my eyes as to what people across the waters thought of the revolution in France at the time. It is always difficult to give a straight-forward opinion of something whilst it is happening and whilst it is clearly still underway and Edmund Burke seems to do a good job of being very observant. It's like we're getting a near-first-hand account of the revolution itself whilst everyone around gapes at the show. This book is a relentless masterpiece and will always be my favourite French Revolution book of all time.