R.R. Palmer's "World of the French Revolution" is an excellent account of how the French Revolution impacted Europe. Palmer shows how the ideals of liberty and equality swept into other European land with the help of French armies. Palmer also dispels many of the myths of the revolutionaries such as them being members of the Illuminati, or other secret societies. Instead he shows how most of the revolutionaries were more worried about the establishment and securing republicanism in France.

Palmer dives into the "revolutions" in the "sister republics" of Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Poland, Great Britian, and the United States. In Europe the Revolution collapsed the old order tearing down feudalism. Guilds, corporations, taxes, tithes, tariffs, and aristocracy were swept away. He also relates how the Revolution changed European society forever. His chapter on the US was very interesting. He shows how the "democrats" like Jefferson, Madison, and other republicans were avid supporters of the Revolution believing that republicanism everywhere depended on it's sucess. Overall an excellent study.

R.R. Palmer's The World of the French Revolution explores and extensively describes the origins and outcomes of the Revolution. What sets this often overlooked book apart from all other texts on the French Revolution, is its insiteful and intellectual commentary that is intertwined with extensive facts. The book is presented in an easily readable fashion that is not boaring(as are many other acclaimed Revolution texts). It is ideal for any upper level history student and teachers alike because the content is tremendously through.

This is a small gem of a book and introduces both the characters and the influences of the period of the terror in the French Revolution. Like all good narrative histories, it maintains a balance between the detail and the sweep of history. Any book that is fresh and alive after forty years, begins to deserve the title of classic. Unfortunately history does not stand still and many of Palmer's conclusions need to be tested. It needs to be read alongside Soboul and Schama to gain an understanding of the complexity of this period. Even so, a great work that will repay careful reading.

From this starting point, you can delve back into the influences that brought this group to power and forward to the Napoleonic period.

In my college Western Civilization course years ago, we read a speech Robespierre gave during a festival created by the revolutionary government. After discussing this speech for a while, we passed on to Napoleon, but before we did, one student asked the professor for recommendations for further reading on the Reign of Terror. He mentioned Twelve Who Ruled. I didn't run out and buy the book, but I did keep in the back of my mind, and whenever I browsed the history shelves of a bookstore or library, I kept an eye out for it. Several years later, I ran across the book and, after reading it, I am quite glad that I did.

The Reign of Terror is, of course, a fascinating period of history that usually gets short shrift in high school or college classes. One hears of guillotines and revolutionaries run wild, killing each other for not being radical enough. This book fleshes out the story and dispels some myths about it.

Robespierre was a member of the Committee on Public Safety, a legislative committee that was part of the National Assembly, France's short-lived revolutionary parliament set up in the 1790s. The Committee consisted of twelve people, hence the title of the book: "The Twelve Who Ruled."

Palmer describes how the Committee functions and gives a very plausible explanation for the reasons behind Robespierre's and his fellow committee members' actions. Given the nature of the period, it is no surprise that the book is not boring. But Palmer did not sacrifice academic rigor for readability.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in history or political science.

Unlike many books written on the Reign of Terror, "Twelve Who Ruled" takes a refreshingly unbiased, as well as entertaining, view of all angles and opinions. This book's primary focus is on the Committee of Public Safety, a major governing body of France during the Terror. Detailed descriptions of the Committee's twelve members are helpful in determining the causes of the Terror, as well as the motives behind them. The author also provides several interesting and detailed descriptions of the wars in and around France, and how they directly affected the citizens and the government. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the French Revolution.

This book puts all other history books to shame. I used it as the primary source textbook for my AP European History class, and it was great. It is logically organized (not like many other textbooks nowadays, which seem to be organized in a completely random, non-chronological, and confusing fashion), and, yes, easy and interesting to read. Palmer clearly explains not just the events but also the many poltical, social, and economic realities that led to those events. Seriously, read Palmer well and you're guaranteed a 5 on the AP Euro test.

Yes, yes, i know the size, density, and weight of Palmers book may be discouraging at first, but trust me, after your initial reading, Palmarian soon becomes as fluent as English (well with the help of a good dictonary near by.) Palmer usually avoids complex and confusing sentences, in attempts to explain to the reader, as simply as possible, people, places, and events dating back to the end of the medieval times. I used Palmer for my AP european history class in 10th grade, and i gotta admit, its long, and at times boring, but all in all its great b/c it not only explains the actually events, but its also divided up in sections so u understand (somewhat) what youre reading. Palmer often draws parelles to other personalities or events in history in order to reinforce the concepts. PS- as mentioned above, the book should come w/ a warning label: DO NOT READ AFTER 1:00 AM.

This classic is a must for everyone who appreciates well-written history books. Palmer and Colton's gargantuan "History of the Modern World" conveys a vast amount of knowledge in an interesting manner (although at times close to unbearably dense)and its ideas and perspectives are always relevant, new and enlightening. This is a great supplementary text for every European history course you may be taking or teaching. It is also a treasure chest of historic personalities, events and a panoply of culure through the ages. And a look at the enormous Bibliography will convince you that this book was indeed written by two first-rate scholars. Don't let the price scare you, it is a tremendous read, wonderfully presented, perfectly readable, and it's about as much fun as 800 pages of history can be!