The Vendée

In the countryside of western France, one of the most backward parts of the country, rebellion broke out in March, 1793...This was the rebellion of the VendÉe, and its gory story has often been told. Professor Tilly does not attempt a new description: he gives us, rather, a socio-economic analysis of the circumstances leading up to the rebellion, placing political developments in novel and suggestive sociological perspective...Professor Tilly provides not diverting relaxation but intellectual pleasure. His is an important book. Clarity, sense of humor and the avoidance of any kind of jargon make it also singularly readable.