This was a deliciously written book about the turn of the century, an era little remarked upon by most historians. The era throughout seems to be one of marked class antagonism, although if there is a theme to this book, it is that the oppressed and toiling masses are no wiser or more virtuous than the elites who rule over them. The book leads up to what looks like a victory for labor and socialism, only to crash on the rocks of the First World War. The story is illuminated by profiles of remarkable personalities on both Left and Right, statesmen, rabble-rousers, and men of letters, who form a kind of gentlemen’s club above the fray of the times. As with most history, the story of the Common Man is lost in this discussion of distinguished individuals who claim to speak for him. Yet this is a remarkable book that fills in a crucial gap in my ongoing studies of Western Civilization.
May 13 2012
The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2012/05/13/the-proud-tower-by-barbara-tuchman/
Recent Posts
- The Knitting Witch by Norma Kassirer & Mark Richardson October 23, 2024
- MrBallen Presents: Strange, Dark & Mysterious — The Graphic Stories by MrBallen, Robert Venditti & Andrea Mutti October 22, 2024
- Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight by Judith A Proffer, Julie Dick Fudge & Yoko Matsuoka October 21, 2024
- Tantalizing Tales — October 2024 — Part Two October 18, 2024
- Gaza Faces History by Enzo Traverso October 17, 2024
- Mr. Lovenstein Presents: Feelings by J.L. Westover October 16, 2024
- The Light Keeper by Karen Levine, Sheila Baslaw & Alice Priestley October 15, 2024
- Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold October 14, 2024
- The Helmet of Horror by Victor Pelevin October 13, 2024
- Die Physiker by Friedrich Dürrenmatt October 12, 2024
Categories
Tag Cloud
Al
Alternate History
Art
Auf Deutsch
Autobiography
Children's
Discworld
Doreen
Doug
Dystopia
Eastern Europe
England
Fabulous Ones
Fantasy
Feminism
Fiction
Games
Germany
Graphic Novel
Graphic Novels
History
Horror
Hugo Finalist
Humor
LGBTQIA
Literature
Mystery
Mythology
Non-fiction
Novella
Poetry
Poland
Politics
Religion
Romance
Russia
Science
Science Fiction
Short Stories
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Terry Pratchett
Thriller
Urban Fantasy
World War II
Young Adult