The Great Cat Massacre
Book • 1984
This book is a collection of essays by Robert Darnton that delve into the cultural history of early modern France.
The most famous chapter, 'The Great Cat Massacre,' describes and interprets an incident where Parisian printers’ apprentices slaughtered cats as a form of protest against their masters.
The book also explores French folklore traditions, the mentality of the bourgeoisie, and other aspects of 18th-century French society.
Darnton uses various historical sources, including folktales, oral histories, and personal memoirs, to provide a detailed and nuanced understanding of the period.
His approach avoids modern preconceptions and anachronisms, offering a unique insight into the social and cultural dynamics of the time.
The most famous chapter, 'The Great Cat Massacre,' describes and interprets an incident where Parisian printers’ apprentices slaughtered cats as a form of protest against their masters.
The book also explores French folklore traditions, the mentality of the bourgeoisie, and other aspects of 18th-century French society.
Darnton uses various historical sources, including folktales, oral histories, and personal memoirs, to provide a detailed and nuanced understanding of the period.
His approach avoids modern preconceptions and anachronisms, offering a unique insight into the social and cultural dynamics of the time.
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Mentioned by Leah as the author of 'The Great Cat Massacre', a book about printer's apprentices killing cats en masse.
2: Robert Darnton's Communications Circuit
