author
Lissagaray
1838–1901
A fiery journalist, socialist, and eyewitness to revolution, he is best remembered for writing one of the most influential accounts of the Paris Commune of 1871. His work combines political commitment with the urgency of someone who lived through the events himself.
1 Audiobook
History of the Commune of 1871
by Lissagaray
About the author
Born in 1838 in France, Prosper-Olivier Lissagaray became known as a republican journalist, lecturer, and independent socialist. He opposed the politics of the Second Empire and built a reputation as a sharp public voice with strong political convictions.
He took part in the world of the Paris Commune and later became closely associated with its memory through his writing. After the Commune's defeat, he spent years in exile in England before returning to France after the amnesty of 1880.
Lissagaray is best known for History of the Paris Commune of 1871, first published in 1876. The book has endured because it is not only a historical study, but also the work of a committed participant determined to record the struggle, the violence, and the hopes of the Commune with clarity and force.