This remarkable dictionary draws on Benoît’s vast knowledge of Tocqueville’s life and family, and his intellectual and political preoccupations, to present vivid and original brief essays on a striking array of subjects. General readers and specialists alike will learn much from entries on topics large and small, from “liberalism” to “rubbish,” all taken up with Benoît’s characteristically lively judgment. Topics connected with empire, slavery, and political economy receive particularly thorough treatment. Throughout, Benoît pays welcome attention to Tocqueville’s use of language and his literary style.
Jennifer Pitts