Story of the First Encyclopedia

The Philosopher's Kiss by Peter Prange

Anyone who has followed this blog knows by now my love for historical fiction.  The amazing aspect of this work of historical fiction is how much of it is TRUE.  All of the characters in The Philosopher's Kiss are real.  This is the story of the development and creation of the first comprehensive encyclopedia.  For history buffs, the individual responsible for the creation and concept of developing a comprehensive book of knowledge, the acclaimed French Encyclopédie, is the French philosopher, Denis Diderot.

The story follows a young Sophie Volland (a historical figure about whom little is known).  There is a historical record that Diderot was in communication with a Sophie Volland. Since so little is known about Volland and her relationship to Diderot, Prange uses the character of Sophie to explore the conflict between the pursuit of secular knowledge that characterized the Enlightenment and the autocratic power of the Catholic Church and the French monarchy.  Diderot's concept of developing a bible-like encyclopedia, containing all "human knowledge", becomes a threat to the Catholic Church and their control over the citizenry and influence on the monarchy.  Diderot is quickly persecuted and the lives of everyone associated with the production of the encyclopedia, including such famous names as Voltaire and Rousseau, are in danger.  

This historic tale is compelling and well written, and Prange particularly brings Paris to vivid life, and what it was like to live at a time when expressing new ideas or espousing a different viewpoint could place your life in danger. (Come to think of it, has much really changed?  Back then they had the Bastille and the guillotine, today we have semi-automatic rifles and Guantanamo.)  This historical novel does make you think.

Unfortunately Sophie, his heroine, is less interesting than the supporting characters, particularly the king's mistress, Madame de Pompadour and the king's censor, Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, who ultimately saves Diderot and the encyclopedia.  You will have to read the book to learn what happens to Malesherbes.