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Revolutionary Spring
- Fighting for a New World 1848-1849
- Narrated by: Christopher Clark
- Length: 33 hrs and 26 mins
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Revolutionary Spring
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
'People embraced each other, shook hands, joy radiated from every eye, there was no limit to the celebrations...'
There can be few more exciting or frightening moments in European history than the spring of 1848. Almost as if by magic, in city after city, from Palermo to Paris to Venice, huge crowds gathered, sometimes peaceful and sometimes violent, and the political order that had held sway since the defeat of Napoleon simply collapsed.
Christopher Clark's spectacular new book recreates with verve, wit and insight this extraordinary period. Some rulers gave up at once, others fought bitterly, but everywhere new politicians, beliefs and expectations surged forward. The role of women in society, the end of slavery, the right to work, national independence and the final emancipation of the Jews all became live issues.
In a brilliant series of set-pieces, Clark conjures up both this ferment of new ideas and then the increasingly ruthless and effective series of counter-attacks launched by regimes who still turned out to have many cards to play. But even in defeat, exiles spread the ideas of 1848 around the world and - for better and sometimes much worse - a new and very different Europe emerged from the wreckage.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 07-07-23
Brilliant. There are few other adjectives.
Brilliantly written and brilliantly narrated. The 33 hours of this masterpiece breezed by as though it were half an hour. I’m going to listen to the entire story once more, perhaps many times more.
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- Jonathan Lowenstein
- 02-04-24
A momentous and classic work of history
Wow. What a book! Its was not an easy read, especially the first chapter and I went through it slowly. My impression is that Professor Clark's understanding of history and historical forces is comparable with such greats as Plutarch or Ibn Khaldun.
Perhaps this book only seems so powerful because of its relevance to our time and because I was not familiar with the subject matter. Maybe a second reading will open my eyes to its flaws (I feel that a second reading is necessary).
However, I loved his ability to present each side's perspective, to give the overview and see the historical and political relevance of what was happening without ever getting carried away with himself.
It was an added bonus to hear it read by the author himself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Steve Gallard
- 08-12-23
Exceptional.
I rarely come across a non-scientific book that makes me feel ignorant. This is one of those books. It is full of exceptional people of whom I have not heard and of events of which I had no knowledge. The scholarship appears detailed and is exceptional.
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2 people found this helpful
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- World Traveller
- 05-07-23
Why did my review of this book not appear?
I wrote it a week ago and this is not the first time I have had this problem
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- 1705
- 06-06-23
Magnificent
A magnificent work, full of penetrating insights and written and performed with convincing and consummate style.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Darren
- 25-06-23
So very good
I suppose many or most of us know little about the period or it’s imprint on our lives today. Clark is masterful is explaining, detailing and bringing to life a complex world of people, events and places. He telling of the story is exemplary and rare in his ability to pronounce names, places and words correctly. His remarks on the linkages to contemporary society, politics and protests are thought provoking.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- noteasilyimpressed
- 10-09-23
Have given up. I've drowned in "...and I quote"s.
Very good, lot of stuff I didn't know or never thought about before. Good narrator but the "and I quote..."s get a bit repetitive after the 3356th time. Especially when the intonation, and hints of an accent in the narrator's voice, indicate fairly clearly that he is quoting one of the characters he's speaking of. Awesome book through. EDIT: The "and I quote"s have defeated me. 10 or more "and I quote"s in half an hour is just too much. I find myself not absorbing what I'm listening to as I'm bracing myself for the next superfluous "and I quote". Disappointed because it is a good book.
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- Bill S.
- 27-12-23
A work of real scholarship
It is a work not only of tremendous scholarship but also of great clarity of argument with some fascinating anecdotes.
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- Amazon Customer
- 21-03-24
A masterful survey
Clark’s narration elevates an already fantastic book - I particularly enjoyed his breaks into poetry and song (the Egyptian protest song is memorable) in his exploration of both the cultural life of the revolution, and its importance to transmitting the ideas of revolution.
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- Mason Mulling
- 01-05-23
Majestic
Beautifully written and read, impeccably reasoned, thorough yet hugely entertaining. Draws a thread right through to the present without being too wise in hindsight. Made me smile when he said he didn’t enjoy the topic at school - he clearly not only enjoys it now but has produced perhaps the definitive treatment. I loved the topic at school and am grateful this book has rekindled my interest, as well as adding many nuances to my understanding. Unputdownable despite being so rigorous. 5+ stars from me.
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