Printed Poison: Pamphlet Propaganda, Faction Politics, And The Public Sphere In Early Seventeenth-Century France

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Condition: Very Good. Jacket: Very Good, minimal wear. Page Condition: Good, slight tanning consistent with age. Markings: No markings visible. Binding: Firm and intact. No stickers or labels visible.

A scholarly work of European political and print history, Printed Poison examines the explosive world of pamphlet warfare in early seventeenth-century France, where the printing press became a weapon in the hands of rival aristocratic factions. Jeffrey K. Sawyer argues that politically charged pamphlets — known as libelles — served as a powerful instrument of factional conflict, shaping public opinion during one of France's most turbulent periods. The book presents a rigorous analysis of how propaganda circulated through the nascent public sphere, challenging assumptions about the relationship between print culture and political power in early modern Europe. Drawing on a rich array of primary sources, Sawyer illustrates how anonymous pamphleteers weaponised language to destabilise royal authority and inflame partisan passions, making this an indispensable study for historians of early modern France, media, and political culture.