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February 2020Rebellious knowledge
Diderot's battle for the Great French Encyclopedia
by Klaus Möckel
France, middle of the 18th century. In a time of feudal rule, moral decline and fierce religious disputes, the still little known philosopher Diderot and his publisher Le Breton decide to publish an encyclopedia of knowledge and thus of spiritual enlightenment. But this "Great Encyclopedia" met with bitter resistance. The prefect of police and his informers, the archbishop of Paris, the courts of justice, and dark men of all stripes fight the work. While Diderot rallies comrades-in-arms around him (d'Alembert, Voltaire, Rousseau), he is exposed to constant threats. Intrigues are instigated, the affair of a young abbé and an assassination attempt on the king conjure up the highest dangers. The allies fall out, and in the end the work is betrayed, almost causing it to fail.In this historically well-founded, exciting novella by the author and Romanist, who was already successful with "The King's Playgirls", "Gold and Galleys" and "Hot Goods under the Lily Banner", the contrasts of an entire epoch collide. Not only the mentioned persons, but also the king himself and his mistress, the famous Pompadour, intervene in the events. Nobles of different colors, clergymen, rich citizens like the publisher Le Breton, but also craftsmen, lackeys, prostitutes, populate an exciting event filled with contradictions.The controversies surrounding the "Great French Encyclopedia", hitherto little noticed by literature, are full of drama and challenge comparison with the religious and secular conflicts of our day.
