"Non military histories of the 18th Century" Topic

How many of you have read histories of the 18th century that focus on the cultural, artistic, social, intellectual and literary sectors of the 18th century?

18th Century Europe was part of my A-level History course, so I read a pile of stuff at the time. I've even read a few books on the subject more recently!

So yeah, I've a passing acquaintance with Enlightened Despotism and all that…

Yes, alternative revisionist history was all the rage when I was in college in the 1970s. I had several classes about economic revisionism, social revisionist history and others.

Late 18 c. Yes
I read a lot, French Sources, about French Revolution

I have enjoyed The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant. This series has the Age of Voltaire and the Age of Rousseau that cover that time period. The Age of Napoleon is also good. Others may consider these too thin or superficial but they were just right for me.

Did Colonial American history for my job as an historic archaeologist in South Carolina.

Dear Esquire

Will and Ariel do a good job by the 18th century. The two volumes mentioned are excellent, and if you master those two you have gone a long way and are in good shape for this.

dear Rudy Nelson

Sympathies on suffering through the 70's revisionist history. One thing I remember was that they largely left the 18th century alone. This was less so in the American Revolution and the 19th century. Poor fellows. The thing I remember about these debates was that it was like listening to old communists debating who was revisionist or Trotskyite, and quite hilarious.

I remember one professor lambasting Mozart for being racist and Euro-phallo-paternalist centric towards women and non Europeans. I grilled him intently in class, and asked him for example if he thought the scene between Osmin and Blondchen in "Abuduction" was an example of what he talked about as the objectivication of women on one level and Selim and Constanza on the other. He agreed heartily.

The few titters from others in the class let him know he was in a minefield.

His response after being exposed was that his interpretation was still correct no matter what Mozart wrote.

For me the allure of the 18th century are these non-military facets. I game primarily in that century and love all the militaria, but the music, the art, the literature, the manners, and the organization of society and its forms is fascinating. I try and incorporate as much of it into the games as possible.