La dernière lettre prisons et condamnés de la Révolution, 1793-1794

by Olivier Blanc

21 janvier 1793, Louis XVI est guillotiné place de la Révolution : la Terreur s’installe en France, féroce, implacable avec la loi des suspects du 17 septembre. Pendant plusieurs mois, Paris va vivre au rythme sinistre des charrettes qui se succèdent place de la Révolution ou place du Trône Renversé. Ceux qui sont ainsi conduits à l’échafaud n’ont souvent été jugés que quelques heures plus tôt par le Tribunal révolutionnaire.La dernière lettre est celle qu’ils trouvaient la force d’écrire à leurs proches dans ces derniers instants, mais qui était automatiquement interceptée par la bureaucratie révolutionnaire et n’atteignait jamais son destinataire. Éparpillées dans diverses séries des Archives nationales, ces lettres constituent un document exceptionnel aussi bien sur la vie quotidienne dans les prisons de la Terreur que sur la sensibilité collective de tous ces hommes et de toutes ces femmes face à la mort.À travers leurs lignes percent tour à tour résignation, courage, rancœur, désespoir, peur : nous avons là une véritable palette des sentiments. L’émotion est derrière chaque phrase, chaque mot.

Genres: History, French Revolution, Nonfiction, France, Research

Paperback

First published August 1, 1987

Reviews

[Tal M. Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled onto this book whilst doing research for a book I'm writing. My intention was only to give it a skim, but the tragedy of each letter, each story, each condemned soul just drew me in. I couldn't read more than a few pages at a time because I felt it disrespectful to merely skim over the last words and thoughts of so many who met their unnatural end at the gallows of the French Revolution.

[Joanna Novins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book, not just for those interested in the history of the French Revolution, but for anyone who has ever wondered, 'if I were facing death, what message would I leave for my loved ones?' (Spoiler alert, everything from noble sentiments, to reminders to pay the maid.) And if you're a history nerd (like me), don't miss the bibliography which is also full of terrific primary source material.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing collection of lost letters. Good research. It would have been nice to have seen some letters from more common people, but they were not the ones being executied!

[The Logophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book delivers 100% on what the author promised, I'm just less intrigued by it as I thought I would be.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

I only read the letters of Olympe de Gouges and Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, and of course Marie Antoinette. I may read the others at a later date.

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading an excerpt (Marquis de Gouy d'Arsy's tender farewell to his wife) in another history book, I checked this out because I assumed it would be full of letters with some annotations and historical context. It wasn't quite what I expected and, as fascinating as the French Revolution is, I just wasn't into the descriptions of the prisons.

[June Cleaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it. Tragic. Interesting.

[Aesha]

a really captivation book..

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought this would be heavier.