Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris

Diary of a Besieged Resident in Paris collects the dispatches Henry Labouchère (1831-1912) smuggled out of Paris by balloon post during the Prussian siege of 1870-71. The wealthy radical journalist, later famous as editor of Truth and scourge of humbug in Parliament, stayed in the starving city by choice and recorded rat dinners, bombardment, and political collapse with unshakable irony. The letters made the Daily News’s fortune and remain among the most readable eyewitness accounts of the siege. Free PDF download available on BDeBooks.