The Insult by Rupert Thomson

The Insult by Rupert Thomson

Judicious, balanced, and admirably clear at every point. This is quite the calmest and least abusive history of the Revolution you will ever read.
--Hilary Mantel, London Review of Books

Since his execution by guillotine in July 1794, Maximilien Robespierre has been contested terrain for historians. Was he a bloodthirsty charlatan or the only true defender of revolutionary ideals? The first modern dictator or the earliest democrat? Was his extreme moralism a heroic virtue or a ruinous flaw?

Against the dramatic backdrop of the French Revolution, historian Ruth Scurr tracks Robespierre's evolution from provincial lawyer to devastatingly efficient revolutionary leader, righteous and paranoid in equal measure. She explores his reformist zeal, his role in the fall of the monarchy, his passionate attempts to design a modern republic, even his extraordinary effort to found a perfect religion. And she follows him into the Terror, as the former death- penalty opponent makes summary execution the order of the day, himself falling victim to the violence at the age of thirty-six.

Written with epic sweep, full of nuance and insight, Fatal Purity is a fascinating portrait of a man who identified with the Revolution to the point of madness, and in so doing changed the course of history.

Thomson, Rupert: -

Rupert Thomson is the author of highly acclaimed novels, including Secrecy; The Insult, which was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize and selected by David Bowie as one of his 100 Must-Read Books of All Time; The Book of Revelation, which was made into a feature film by Ana Kokkinos; and Death of a Murderer, which was shortlisted for the Costa Novel of the Year Award. His memoir, This Party's Got to Stop, was named Writers' Guild Nonfiction Book of the Year. He lives in London.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780679781509
ISBN 10	0679781501
Title	The Insult
Author	Rupert Thomson
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Vintage
Year published	1997-07-29
Number of pages	416
Prizes	Short-listed for Guardian First Book Award 1996
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable