The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800 | Jay Winik

The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800 | Jay Winik | A fine book with flaws

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The Great Upheaval...

	The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800 Jay Winik Harper, 2007 - 688 pages average customer review:based on 47 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great History Book!

This book is one of the most enjoyable books you'll read about events during the American revolutionary period. I found the interwoven stories associated with events in France and Russia to be riveting. For those (like me) that were aware of the happenings in France and Russia, but were ignorant to the impact on the American revolution (like me), you'll really enjoy The Great Upheaval. For a history book that often reads like a novel, this book is for you!

A fine book with flaws

I rather agree with the positive reviewers and the negative ones, though I feel the positive very much outweighs the negative. The writing is generally lively and vivid, there is an abundance of fascinating detail, and many famous scenes are brought to life. This is a comprehensive but comprehensible overview of a major turning point in world history. The innovation of passing back and forth among the U.S., France, and Russia to show their mutual impact offers great insight: John Paul Jones commanding the navy of Catherine the Great! Genet, The imperial French ambassor to Catherine joining the French revolution to become the notorious French ambassdor to the U.S. who tried to unseat George Washington! Talleyrand fleeing France to take refuge in the U.S., only to return to France and turn against America (demanding, among other things, a $250,000 bribe, and threatening the lives of the American negotiators, who included John Marshall, the great chief justice). Tom Paine barely escaping the guillotine in Paris! Winik is also vivid in describing the truly vicious infighting among the Founders after the adoption of the Constitution. Vicious slander--what the papers said about Washington!--was the order of the day. The revered Thomas Jefferson (vice president to John Adams) didn't hesitate to call in the French ambassador and advise him to tell the government in France to ignore Pres. Adams's peace overtures. (Thomas Jefferson, that great American hypocrite, committed what today would be considered treason!) This is all great stuff (and there's a lot more) to read about and very well told. But the book is marred by poor word choice, obvious errors, typos, and at various times, a complete loss of focus. Still for a lively introduction to a maelstrom of a period, you won't find a better, more readable introduction.

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A stunning history book!

The Great Upheaval is a book that's not just a history book, but also a book that makes for great reading. The author pays equal emphais, I think, to rendering an accurate and detailed historical accounting of the last part of the 18th century as well as providing us with a memorable ride through history with his gripping portraits of the key players and critical happenings.

Once you read the book, you'll really understand the underpinnings of both the American and the French revolutions. You'll also, thanks to the meticulous reasearch of the author, get to intimately know people like Catherine the Great, Potemkin, Marie Antionette, Louis XVI, Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, the Ottoman kings, Lafayette, Robispierre.

The author describes numerous violent episodes and upheavals in vivid details that make the book seem more like a horror story at times. But such were the times indeed, and the writing matches the reality, I guess. anyone can clearly see the relatively peaceful nature of the American revolution compared to the liberation stuggle of people in other countries and come to understand what makes the American experience so unique.

All in all, you'll be more well grounded in history after reading this book. I strongly reccommend the book, both for history buffs as well as for people who like a well writeen book.

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A quick review

Jay Winik is a colorful writer and makes turning pages easy. The historical accounts of 1788-1800 come to life through his depictions. The weakness in this book are the interjections of opinion (ie., the colonists PERCEIVED threat of tyranny from Britain) and biased fawning for autocrats (Catherine). He seems detached from the oppression of the masses and would probably be comfortable in a Versailles court living the "good life". Maybe he should take a cue from Howard Zinn on how to write passionate historical perspective from the people's point of view.

reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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