The Great Cat Massacre

In 1730s Paris, apprentices at a print shop condemned cats to death in makeshift courts they set up. The apprentices, who recounted this story repeatedly, would burst into laughter every time. What was it about the killing of the cats that amused the apprentices? How did the child in the 18th-century version of the "Little Red Riding Hood" tale get eaten by the wolf? What was going through the mind of a Montpellier resident as he meticulously documented all the events in his city? These are some of the questions Robert Darnton answers regarding the history of Europe during the Enlightenment.

First published in 1984, The Great Cat Massacre became a seminal work in social historiography; it is now recognized as a classic in the field of cultural history. By examining various scenes from the lives of ordinary people in the 18th century, Darnton explores the human condition of that period, how people perceived and constructed events.

Robert Darnton is a professor in the Department of History at Harvard University and the director of the Harvard University Library.