Title

George Washington's False Teeth : An Unconventional Guide to the Eighteenth Century

Description

A collection of articles concentrated on the Enlightenment in France argues for a scaled-down interpretation of the significance of the movement.

Subject

"Enlightenment--France."

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes on front and back endpapers refer to the intended audience for this book, the role of the historian in the author's view and include a characterization of the French Revolution as "that territory - the most embattled in all historical studies". These questions are also part of the notes: "What is the symbolism of George Washington?" - What impact did America have on the French Revolution?" -- Annotations by Brian Lamb in the margins and underlining of pertinent phrases throughout the book. -- Examples: p. xi: [The essays brought together here ... concentrate on four interrelated themes]: "French-American connections, life in the Republic of Letters, modes of communication, and ways of thought peculiar to the French Enlightenment." -- p. 20: "The last time I noticed a patriotic lump in a French throat was at a screening of 'Casablanca', when Humphrey Bogart got the crowd to sing the "Marseillaise"." -- p. 75: "18th century Paris may provide some perspective on contemporary Washington." -- p. 85: "Europeans came to believe that they should enjoy life on earth instead of enduring it in order to win a place in paradise after death."... In 1776 happiness ceased to be a privilege of the aristocracy. It became the right of man, proclaimed to the world in the American Declaration of Independence: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"." -- p. 96: "By omitting "property" from his phrasing, did Jefferson reveal himself to be a secret socialist?" -- p. 104:"AIDS - ultimate denial of pursuit of happiness." - p. 174: "What am I doing? What every historian does: playing God."

Creator

Darnton, Robert

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Publisher

W.W. Norton

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Date

2003

Program air date: August 31, 2003

Rights

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Relation

Original Booknotes Interview

Booknotes Oral History Project interview

Format

1st ed.

Language

eng

Identifier

1116017

393057607