"This magisterial and absorbing biography is by a French historian who is general editor of Tocqueville's collected works." - Publishers Weekly
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-59) is chiefly remembered for two perceptive and influential books: Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution. Although a knowledge of Tocqueville's life helps one better to understand his writings, this biography fails to convince the reader that the study of his career is important for much else. That is more the fault of Tocqueville than of Jardin. Tocqueville was a member of the Chamber of Deputies and, briefly, foreign minister, but his was a secondary role. Jardin writes clearly and his research is impressive, but readers with little background in French history and geography will find this hard going. Jardin's work must be supplemented with The Two Tocquevilles , Father and Son , edited by R. R. Palmer (Princeton Univ. Pr., 1987). Thomas J. Schaeper, St. Bonaventure Univ., N.Y.
"This magisterial and absorbing biography is by a French historian who is general editor of Tocqueville's collected works." - Publishers Weekly
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