A major history of the rise and fall of Italian fascism: a dark tale of violence,ideals and a country at war. In the aftermath of the First World War,the seeds of fascism were sown in Italy. While the country reeled in shock,a new movement emerged from the chaos: one that preached hatred for politicians and love for the fatherland; one that promised to build a'New Roman Empire',and make Italy a great power again. Wearing black shirts and wielding guns,knives and truncheons,the proponents of fascism embraced a climate of violence and rampant masculinity. Led by Mussolini,they would systematically destroy the organisations of the left,murdering and torturing anyone who got in their way.
In Blood and Power,historian John Foot draws on decades of research to chart the turbulent years between 1915 and 1945,and beyond. Using the accounts of real people - fascists,anti-fascists,communists,anarchists,victims,perpetrators and bystanders - he tells the story of fascism and its legacy,which still,disturbingly,reverberates to this day.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLCISBN: 9781408897966Number of pages: 432Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'This is scholarly history at its best - vivid and clear. John Foot's narrative glitters from beginning to end. It offers both a highly readable account of Mussolini's ventennio and a rare depiction of how ordinary - and a few extraordinary - Italians experienced his thuggish dictatorship. Warmly recommended for anyone seeking to know what can happen when power falls into the hands of vainglorious nationalists.'- John Hooper
'Fascinating and illuminating throughout. John Foot has done the hard work of documenting in great detail the many lives and events that connected the Italy of the common people with the figure of Mussolini. Blood and Power offers disturbing intuitions as to the role of violence in the politics of the modern era.'- Tim Parks
'A gripping new history of fascism that privileges the voices of ordinary Italians and reminds us of the central role of violence in establishing and enforcing Mussolini's dictatorship. An excellent and timely work.'- Ruth Ben-Ghiat,Professor of History and Italian Studies,New York University
'One hundred years after the rise to power of Fascism in Italy,John Foot's bracing and bold Blood and Power vividly recreates the on-the-ground experience of life under the regime.'- Robert S C Gordon,Serena Professor of Italian,University of Cambridge
A book swarming with people,each one of whose stories adds another touch to the big picture...This is history as viewed,not by those who shaped it,but by those who endured it...Clear,cool,plainly written and devastating. - Lucy Hughes-Hallett Times Literary Supplement
Excellent...Highly readable...A fascinating glimpse into the actual experience of living under fascist terror... The first book I have read which brings the reader to the heart of the period. - William Wall Dublin Review of Books
A deeply detailed historical excavation but written in part as warning...John Foot is an academic who writes like a journalist (this is a compliment) - Simon Kuper
Lively,readable and provocative .... John Foot uses anecdotes and episodes,vignettes and thumbnail portraits to tell the story of Fascism...Foot's plausible thesis is that it was violence that brought Fascism to power and underpinned the regime...Overall,Foot's quirky book is a joy - David Laven BBC History Magazine
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