100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Auckland Bookstore open today until 5pm! ๐ŸŽ‰

Citizens

A Chronicle of The French Revolution
4.03 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 6,229 ratings, 470 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Citizens by Simon Schama is a vivid and detailed account of the French Revolution. The book delves into the social, political, and cultural upheaval of the period, offering a gripping narrative of the events and personalities that shaped the revolution's course. Schama brings to life the chaos and heroism of the era with his engaging writing style.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5000
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the French Revolution and appreciate in-depth historical narratives that bring to life the political, social, and cultural upheavals of the period. Simon Schamaโ€™s detailed and engaging prose offers fresh insights and vivid storytelling that make complex historical events accessible and compelling.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Offers a social, cultural and narrative history of the French Revolution. This title provides an impression of the currents and contradictions which made up this terrible sequence of events.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The French Revolution, a pivotal moment in world history, is examined through a comprehensive lens in Citizens by Simon Schama. This authoritative tome meticulously delves into the social, cultural, and political upheavals that characterised the Revolution. Schama offers a richly detailed narrative that brings to life the passions, complexities, and contradictions of the era. From the opulent court of Louis XVI to the grimy streets of Paris, the book masterfully interweaves personal stories with broader historical events, painting an evocative portrait of a nation on the brink of unprecedented change.

In Citizens, Schama challenges conventional interpretations of the Revolution, presenting a thought-provoking revisionist perspective. With an elegant and engaging writing style, he explores the underlying causes of the Revolution, the key figures who shaped its course, and the profound consequences it had for France and the world. The narrative spans the decades leading up to the Revolution, offering a nuanced understanding of the social tensions and cultural shifts that set the stage for this monumental upheaval.

Lauded as a landmark in modern history publishing, Citizens provides a nuanced and multifaceted view of the French Revolution. Its depth of research and insightful analysis have earned it acclaim and recognition as a definitive work on the subject. As Eugen Weber from The New York Times Book Review notes, the book is "monumental...provocative and stylish." Schama's thoughtful and informed approach ensures that Citizens is a profoundly informative read, backed by comprehensive scholarship and a fresh perspective.

For anyone interested in the transformative years of the French Revolution, Citizens stands as a critical and engaging resource. Its rich narrative and scholarly depth make it a must-read for history enthusiasts, academics, and anyone seeking to understand the complexities of this defining historical event.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Citizens by Simon Schama has received high praise for its vivid storytelling and dramatic narrative. Reviewers highlight Schama's ability to bring historical events and characters to life with eloquence and imagination. Many commend his erudition and intelligence, making the book both entertaining and educational. It's considered a monumental work that combines entertainment and scholarship, providing fresh perspectives on the French Revolution.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141017273

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 August 2004

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 597g

Pages: 848

About the Author

Simon Schama is University Professor in Art History and History at Columbia University in New York, and one of the best-known scholars in Britain in any field. He is the prize-winning author of numerous books, including Dead Certainties (Unwarranted Speculations), Landscape and Memory, Rembrandt's Eyes and three volumes of A History of Britain. He is also the writer-presenter of historical and art-historical documentaries for BBC Television. He lives outside New York City with his wife and children.

Also by Simon Schama

View all
  • The Story of the Jews
    The Story of the Jews by Simon Schama, CBE, is an extraordinary narrative that spans more than 3,000 years of Jewish history. Through meticulous research and lively storytelling, Schama brings to life the epic journey of the Jewish people, a tale of resilience, creativity, and survival. This landmark work explores the manifold experiences of Jews across the centuries and across...
    Paperback
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Belonging
    A passionate history of a world unfolding across many continents and five centuries by one of our greatest and internationally bestselling historians. A passionate history of Judaism; a world unfolding across many continents and five centuries by one of our greatest and internationally bestselling historians. Belonging is a magnificent cultural history abundantly alive with energy, character and colour. From the...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Art
    Vintage Minis bring you the world's greatest writers on the experiences that make us human - from birth to death and everything in between. Great art has dreadful manners... The hushed reverence of the gallery can fool you into believing masterpieces are visions that soothe, charm, and beguile, but actually they are thugs. Merciless and wily, the greatest paintings grab...
    Paperback
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Foreign Bodies
    โ€˜This splendid and often moving work of historyโ€ฆ Schama has a gift for combining novelistically colourful detail, serious analysis and wryly amusing asidesโ€™ Daily Telegraph โ€˜Superbโ€™ Observer โ€˜Extraordinaryโ€ฆ A meticulous retelling of a terrible yet scientifically innovative periodโ€ฆ Makes an urgent case for building a better future on our toxic pastโ€™ Guardian โ€˜This is history of the best sort โ€“...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3099
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Foreign Bodies
    โ€˜This splendid and often moving work of historyโ€ฆ Schama has a gift for combining novelistically colourful detail, serious analysis and wryly amusing asidesโ€™ Daily Telegraph โ€˜Superbโ€™ Observer โ€˜Extraordinaryโ€ฆ A meticulous retelling of a terrible yet scientifically innovative periodโ€ฆ Makes an urgent case for building a better future on our toxic pastโ€™ Guardian โ€˜This is history of the best sort โ€“...
    Hardback
    $6300
    Elsewhere:
    $6999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Shortest History of Antisemitism
    Pre-order
    The Shortest History of Antisemitism
    A swift history of one of the most enduring and changeable forms of hatred From ancient times to the present, antisemitism has proved to be one of the most enduring and adaptable forms of hatred. Across centuries of world-changing ideas and upheavals - from the rise of Christianity and Islam to the Enlightenment, nationalism, globalism and great leaps of technology...
    Paperback
    $3700
    Pre-order
    Out 13 Oct 2026
  • Landscape and Memory
    The forest primeval, the river of life, the sacred mount โ€” read Landscape and Memory to have these explained... Landscape and Memory is a history book unlike any other. In a series of journeys through space and time, it examines our relationship with the landscape around us โ€” rivers, mountains, forests โ€” the impact each of them has had on...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Wordy
    Wordy is about the intoxication of writing; my sense of playful versatility; different voices for different matters: the polemical voice for political columns; the sharp-eyed descriptive take for profiles; poetic precision in grappling with the hard task of translating art into words; lyrical recall for memory pieces. And informing everything, a rich sense of the human comedy and the ways...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from History & Military

View all
  • Saving Elli
    One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Spy and the Traitor
    The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Man's Search For Meaning
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the authorโ€™s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Betrayal
    โ€˜Tom Bower is the Inspector Morse of investigative biographers, a fluent, phlegmatic storyteller and a master of intricacies.โ€™ Sunday Times The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. At a landmark moment in royal history, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the Royal family? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex...
    Paperback
    $3499
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Signed
    New Release
    The Chief and the Empire
    The Chief and the Empire uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential Mฤori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the Pฤkehฤ world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own. On a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Discipline
    Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...
    Paperback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Shattered Lands
    'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' โ€“ PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation โ€ฆ both original and important' โ€“ MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia โ€“ India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Goliathโ€™s Curse
    Goliathโ€™s Curse by Luke Kemp offers a radical retelling of human history through the lens of collapse, delving into what this means for our uncertain future. This narrative spans from the dawn of our species to the urgent existential threats of the twenty-first century and beyond. It's grounded in the latest research and a comprehensive database of more than 440...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    The Good Settler
    โ€˜Where once I saw a view as I drove around the Taranaki coast along State Highway 45, I now see confiscated land from an invasion road. The creation story I used to subscribe to, the one in which hard-working people came here and settled the land, now jars. Weirdly, even the lawn looks different. The form of things just wonโ€™t...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Keep Calm โ€“ We Are Coming
    Keep Calm โ€” We Are Coming briefly backgrounds the New Zealand Special Air Service deployment in Afghanistan โ€” then goes into action. While primarily training Afghan forces, in Kabul the NZSAS had to respond to a series of โ€˜spectacular attacksโ€™ by heavily armed Taliban fighters wearing suicide vests and determined to inflict major casualties. In the words of those who...
    Paperback
    $4000
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Banjara
    A powerful literary debut from an astonishing new Kiwi voice, focusing on the Indo-Fijian indenture system and how it affected generations across the Pacific.Rajasthan 1888: Avani Rathod, a nomad of the Banjara community, is summoned to teach a blue-eyed colonial officer the trees of her region, but instead is misled into indenture to the sugarcane plantations of Fiji. While on...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.