The Age of Revolution and Reaction, 1789-1850

What a significant little book; so packed with readable information and such a quick study of one of the most important eras of Western Civilization. This is the type of work which I call a "seed book." It is a brief overview, done in a very scholarly manner, of the period 1789 through 1850, 61 years that changed the face of the world and how we perceive that world. Now before we go any further, do be aware that this is NOT a complete and comprehensive history and analyses of that period, it is a "survey" of that period. This work gives you the facts in chronological order, a very good idea of the impact each event had on the future of Europe, ergo, the world, and surprisingly, a very nice background to these events. You really could not ask for more of a book with only 304 pages, even if the print is rather small...which indeed it is. No, this work give the reader a pretty good idea of what went on and why and if the reader is interested or has more curiosity than an inanimate object, then this "seed book" should prod any reader into further reading and research. Lets face it, this is a fascinating period, a period which even to this day the events of those years are felt. Of course the center piece of this book is the French Revolution, Nepoleonic period and post-Nepoleonic era in Europe, process and outcome, but it also addresses the issues of the Industrial revolution in England and the situations I Russia, Austria, Prussia, Italy, England, and other European States. As another reviewer has so well implied, this work begins with the philosophies of the old, old regimes and ends with the Communist Manifesto. This is a well written work. I like to compare it to Will Durant's work addressing the same time period, but with Breunig's work we do not have the prosy style nor do we have Durant's political agenda slipped in here and there. This is not to imply that this is a boring academic work though. This is an extremely readable work; granted, probably not to every ones taste, but for those interested in history, then it is excellent. This is one book in a series of six works of the Norton history of Modern Europe. The second edition, the one I am reviewing here was published in 1977 and I must say it has aged well. Now please do not expect to read this work and become an expert on Revolutionary Europe. That simply is not going to happen. After all, there are literally hundreds of very large volumes addressing this subject; many to most in great detail. No, this is a survey book and should be read as such. Hopefully it will encourage the reader to continue this fascinating study. After all, history is us and as someone once said; to be ignorant of it will cause us to endlessly make the same errors over and over again. I highly recommend this one and if you feel you do not want to add it to your personal library, then it is certainly worth checking out from your local library and certainly worth giving it a read. This happe

This is an excellent, brief account of a critical period in European history. The author covers the impact of the French Revolution, the Napoleonic period, the industrial revolution, important European diplomatic events, the restoration of monarchy, political and social movements, and the revolutions of 1848. The account of this historical period not only chronicles the key events of the time, but is highly analytical and intelligently explains why historical events occurred. The author offers well-conceived interpretations of the patterns and trends of the political, economic, diplomatic, and social forces of the period. Succinct summaries are provided at the end of chapters. Many nice illustrations and several maps enhance the book. Very highly recommended.

This book is an excellent summary of the critical period when the old feudal Europe was swept away, and the modern industrial Europe was born. It begins describing the philosophes of the ancien regime, and ends with the Communist Manifesto. In between, it builds the bridge between the two. Breunig descibes each of the major European powers (England, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and of course France), how their status quo was disrupted by the French Revolution and Napoleon, then how their reactionary governments tried, ultimately in vain, to stem the tide of revolution that swept Europe in the 1820's through 1850. One fascinating passage describes how the post-Napoleonic European leaders, desperately sick of war, struck a careful balance of power among themselves to ensure a steady, yet fragile, peace. Yet while maintaining this, the sovereigns (or most of them) ruthlessly crushed their internal conflicts, sometimes willingly accepting help from neighbors and formal rivals. This book is especially interesting to Americans looking to understand the relationships between European countries and the roots of modern Europe.

Charles Breunig does a masterful job of painting a picture of a growing, developing Europe, in what many believe was the most remarkable period in European history.Breunig's scholarship and narrative style notwithstanding, the illustrations are excellent in providing a stimulating historical perspective.One expects that the French Revolution would be the centerpoint, but excellent pre-revolution observations and post-revolution results are treated as well. Breunig shows how the Industrial Revolution, in resource rich England, was the begining and the various European Revolutions were the results. The section on Russia and its gradual revolution is excellent on several fronts, not the least of which as a partial explanation for the second revolution in the early 20th century."Revolutionary Europe" is an excellent reading experience for anyone from someone looking to be introduced to this exciting period to graduate student. Breunig's dry wit make this an enjoyable experience.