Мои представления об французской революции были, как выяснилось в процессе чтения, еще более поверхностными, чем я думал.
Карлейль, во-первых, в простоте не напишет и слова, во-вторых, ожидает от читателя знаний не базовых, а основательных.
Многие фразы нужно несколько раз перечитать, чтобы понять, что они говорят, после чего нужно обращаться к википедии, чтоб разобраться о чем речь.
Если говорить о познавательной стороне вопроса, то теперь о французской революцию знаю на порядок больше, чем знал, но тоже не сказать, что много — не всегда хватало сил отдельно читать биографии всех действующих лиц, а без этого их часто трудно различить, не говоря уже о том, чтобы понять их "историческое значение".
С другой стороны, книгу отличает, во-первых, великолепный в своем безумии стиль — спотыкающиеся, приплясывающие, крадущиеся запятые, тире, двоеточия, точки с запятой напоминают в первую очередь Андрея Белого — кстати, известно, что Блок считал Карлейля гением и в "Двенадцати" много у него позаимствовал, а Белого пойди разбери.
Во-вторых, Карлейль замечательно умеет рисовать исторические сцены: чередование общих планов и крупных, движения и ожидания, рефрены, монтаж, выразительные ракурсы. С одной стороны, напрашиваются аналогии с "Войной и миром", с другой — с фильмами Эйзенштейна, которые, в принципе говоря, можно назвать "Карлейлем в кино".

Hope ushers in a Revolution,—as earthquakes are preceded by bright weather.

With a labyrinthine and colorfully ironic narrative, the three volumes cover the events from 1789 to 1795, analyzing the causes of the revolution.

Revolution had begun in words: first, the words of the philosophes, then a buzzing in the streets of Paris that rose to a roar and shattered the Bastille.

Albeit Carlyle's extremely difficult style of writing, this is an authentic account of events. I am sure I would have appreciated it more if I was a contemporary of the author’s and was more familiar with his verbiage.
informative slow-paced

First, why did I read this work: several reasons.  One, some time near the New Year, assuming Biden wins in November, Trump and the MAGAits will try to over throw our Constitutional  Republic.  This will be a revolution of the aristocracy V the masses.  The current wealth discrepancy in the U.S. is near the level of France in 1789.   This makes France in 1789 a good start for what may happen in Dec - Jan.  Two, how did France deal with the Church both during and after the Revolution.  My next read deals with that issue.  In the NCAA's  SEC conference states most Pastors, Preachers, and Priests preach a extreme right wing theology of prosperity.  This will have to stop after the Constitutional forces put the MAGA rebellion down.  Again, France is a great place to start with what they did, but you can't understand what the French Republic did to the Catholic Church unless you understand what they did politically.  Third, and  the weakest of my reasons, the Revolution set the stage for Napoleon and the next 100 years of European history.

I am also very glad that I picked this work as my start point.  Carlyle takes a very story telling style of telling the history.  This is not a work of mere facts, people, places, dates, deaths battles history, this is a story of 25 million people.  Carlyle tells their stories.  From Louis and Marie, Marat, Fouquier, Danton,   Robesierre, Lafayette, Dame de Stael and many others to the common man who gained his "Fifteen minutes of Fame" or the women who got their Fifteen minutes of infamy.  All these people are here.  The story is both sad and encouraging, full of mans best moments and his worst, 260,000 French men and women were killed by the guillotine, rope, shot and shell, drowning, or the knife.  About one percent of the population of 25 million in 1789.  Now ask this question, can the Defenders of the Constitutional Government execute 3.3 million U.S citizens or will we have to be much more selective in who and whom we execute for treason?  Also a question that I asked myself more than once while going through this work.  All in all a  very thought provoking and enlightening book. 
informative slow-paced
informative slow-paced

A wonderful book, written in a uniquely lyrical, archaic, poetic, allusion-rich style, but not the first book I'd recommend to someone who doesn't know the players, which is why I lopped off one star.
I only recognized the huge dramatic personae of this book because I've just finished listening to Mike Duncan's brilliant Revolutions podcast series on the French Revolution. Highly recommended but start first with a more straightforward, modern history.