- Paperback: 408 pages
- ISBN-10: 1559706562
- ASIN: B0009YAXG8
- Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 14.7 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
The former Newsweek correspondent who has toyed about with variations on the theme of "What if?" in his speculative histories The Hinge Factor and The Weather Factor settles down here to look at the actual record of the great political revolutions of the last two centuries. It is not a happy story, nor a heroic one. "Genius, courage and creativity are powerful forces," Durschmied concedes; "but so is evil." And, indeed, every one of the great cataclysms described here seems, at some (fairly early) point in its development, to have been transformed into a mad witch's Sabbath of fanatics, opportunists, sadists, conmen and outright lunatics whose single-minded lust for power would have taken Machiavelli's breath away. Durschmied illustrates it all with vivid, journalistic detail: a Parisian hairdresser arranging the coiffure of the Princesse de Lamballe's severed head; the drunken turkey-shoot in which the Bolsheviks assassinated the tsar's family; Pancho Villa's sport of lining up hostages atop railway cars and gunning them down like bowling pins; the snuff films made of the hangings of resistance leaders for Hitler's personal amusement. The author's intent is not primarily analytical, but he makes it clear that political collapses as complete as those detailed here are never the result of simple conquest, militarily or ideologically, and that no ruler is ever overthrown unless he or she is profoundly inept, weak-willed or stupid (e.g., Louis XVI, Nicholas II, the shah of Iran). Durschmied writes wonderfully fluid and engaging accounts. The final chapter, on the Khomeinite revolution in Iran, is particularly timely now. 16 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW. First printing 15,000.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.From Library Journal
A journalist and military historian based in France, Durschmied here presents an engaging account of selected revolutions in modern history. "Revolution is born of hope and its philosophy is formally optimistic," he writes, but it is the strategic maneuvering and the aftermath of the revolution, when things fall apart, that fascinates this author. Beginning with a lengthy review of the French Revolution, he succinctly covers a succession of revolutionary movements, including the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the Russian Revolution, the death of Che Guevara, Ayatollah Khomeini's revolution in Iran, and others. He draws upon interviews, field reporting, and research in French, German, and Russian archives for his material. The light and lively narrative serves as a useful introduction for the general reader. A selective bibliography identifies the major titles for each revolution covered. First published in Britain as Whisper of the Blade, this book is best suited for public libraries and is recommended chiefly as a companion to Durschmied's previous works, such as The Hinge Factor: How Chance and Stupidity Have Changed History (LJ 3/1/00). Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars for Sheer Entertainment,
By Rodney J. Szasz "GESS INTERNATIONAL. Rod Szasz" (Tokyo, Japan Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Blood of Revolution: From the Reign of Terror to the Rise of Khomeini (Paperback)
The "Whisper of the Blade" (The UK/ Canada title for this book) should serve as a cold shower for all of those who believe that revolutionary thought, processes or actions have ever added anything positive to the world. Healthy youth demands idealism (indeed one could say that a neo-conservative youth is by definition dysfunctional), but age and wisdome demands that cooler heads prevail and that the past serve as a guide to incremental change. When it does not, then the world goes out of whack very quickly and people get killed in ever increasing amounts as people try to pound people to fit their historical theories. Whether they be the forces of the French Revolution or those of Che Gueverra, they usually lead to the wholesale abuse of people and mass murder. It is this phenomemon that Durkschmied convey with great brilliance. As a youthful journalist he felt the allure of revolutionary politics. In later days after reporting over 4 decades he has come to see the boneyard that revolutionary ideals has heaped upon man in the 20th Century and their sometimes equally bloody reactionary backlash. The historical detail starts with the watchmaker King Louis XVI and his inability to change in any way to alleviate the suffering of his people early until it was too late. Even at the end when a little "whiff of grapeshot" and a reform policy would have staved off revolution, he ordered the Swiss Guard to lay down weapons to be torn to pieces by the French Mob. Equal tragedies such as the Spartikist Revolution, the Iranian Revolution, the last days of Che Gueverra, and the reactionay palace coup of the Japanese militarists and the courageous, yet fruitless resistence of the anti-Nazi forces in July 44 are all well documented. All of these events have been better written about by other academics and mass narrative historians. The real difference is that Durkschmeid is really looking for a time, sequence, event and decision, where the success or failure of a revolution or coup either failed or was made succeesful. In the French Revolution he does isolate the key role of the Swiss Guard. Frankly speaking, I think that Durkschmeid may be cutting history to fit his own personal dimensions. I really don't care. The narrative is so exciting. How exciting? I carried this book on an ice-climbing expedition and could not wait until we finished the route and returned to the tent.... there, dog-tired, I ploughed through another 50 pages until my eyelids slipped and the adventure would be continued on the morrow. (...)
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating survey of world revolutionary influences,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blood of Revolution: From the Reign of Terror to the Rise of Khomeini (Hardcover)
Historical texts, eyewitness accounts, and analysis blend in Blood Of Revolution, a survey of a range of revolutions and revolts, from the French revolution to those in the Middle East and Cuba. Each revolution has its own dynamic and cast of characters but all result in betrayal, glory and death. A fascinating survey of world revolutionary influences.
4.0 out of 5 stars
4 stars for Durschmied,
By A Customer
This review is from: Blood of Revolution: From the Reign of Terror to the Rise of Khomeini (Hardcover)
I read the "WHISPER OF BLADES" which is the U.K / EU version of this book.I guees the most true and interesting sentance of the book on every chapter. The KING asked the adviser " WHY A REVOLUTION IS HAPPENING ON MY WATCH " adviser answers " YOU BROUGHTED ON YOUR SELF ".
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