Mike Rapport

A "lively, panoramic" history of a revolutionary year (New York Times)
In 1848, a violent storm of revolutions ripped through Europe. The torrent all but swept away the conservative order that had kept peace on the continent since Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815 -- but which in many countries had also suppressed dreams of national freedom. Political events so dramatic had not been seen in Europe since the French Revolution, and they would not be witnessed again until 1989, with the revolutions in Eastern and Central Europe.
In 1848, historian Mike Rapport examines the roots of the ferment and then, with breathtaking pace, chronicles the explosive spread of violence across Europe. A vivid narrative of a complex chain of interconnected revolutions, 1848 tells the exhilarating story of Europe's violent "Spring of Nations" and traces its reverberations to the present day.… (mehr)

A cogent and clear recounting of a vital but all-too-forgotten period (in America, at least) in Europe's history, the 1848 wave of European revolutions when the people momentarily overthrew a dozen monarchs, only to be crushed again in a subsequent wave of counter-revolutions. The tale could easily have been lost among the dozens of names in different languages, but Rapport keeps a firm grasp on his storyline. His thesis is also relatively clear, with appropriate nuance: the revolutions succeeded because of genuine discontent with European governments that was channelled by a strong alliance of liberals and radicals — and then failed when that alliance fell apart and was unable to contend with the forces of reaction. Vital for understanding later events, such as the recent Arab Spring.… (mehr)