Review by Choice Review
Im Hof attempts here to capture the essence of that somewhat amorphous phenomenon known as the Enlightenment. Following a brief survey of the prevailing political, social, economic, and religious background in various European nations, the author embarks on a sweeping survey of the diffusion of Enlightenment ideals, their contribution to the undermining of traditional institutions, and the interplay between such ideals and the reform movements that sprang up throughout Europe. For Im Hof, the Enlightenment epitomizes a new brilliance that penetrated all domains of culture but ultimately proved too radiant and too radical for the populace. With the coming of the French Revolution, the movement foundered: the cosmopolitan ideal was replaced by nationalism, romanticism supplanted rationalism, and the forces of reaction once again came to dominate church and state. Im Hof's narrative is on the whole informative though largely descriptive, woven together through numerous vignettes illustrative of the key concepts and institutions discussed. The book would be enhanced by more adequate references. General readers through graduate students. M. Feingold; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
