The French Revolution is a defining moment in world history, and usually it has been first approached by English-speaking readers through the picture painted of it by Edmund Burke.
He also supplies an extended note on the text, a biographical guide, and a bibliography, helpfully presented in discursive form..
The editor\'s notes are also fuller than those of any previous edition, glossing many literary and biblical allusions missed by previous editors.
But the Introduction is more than a compendium of information; it is a thoughtful, coherent interpretation of Burke and his book.
It situates the Reflections in Burke\'s life and the development of his ideas, the history of English political thought, the debate about the French Revolution, and the debate the book itself inspired.
The editor\'s Introduction is much more extensive than that of any previous edition.
It is certain to become the standard Edition for scholars and students alike.
Alone among recent versions, it reprints the text of the first Edition of the Reflections , and shows how Burke amended it as his knowledge of the Revolution deepened.
This Edition aims to locate Burke once again in his contemporary political and intellectual setting.
Yet its meaning is still contested and often misunderstood, equally by those who wish to admire or to denigrate Burke for his present-day relevance.
Reflections on the Revolution in France is a classic work in a range of fields from history through political science to literature, and securely holds its place among the canon of great books.
The French Revolution is a defining moment in world history, and usually it has been first approached by English-speaking readers through the picture painted of it by Edmund Burke
