Le triomphe des Lumières: L'Encyclopédie de Diderot et d'Alembert by Gerhardt Stenger (review).

This work provides a comprehensive historical analysis of the Encyclopédie (1751–1772), the seminal Enlightenment-era encyclopedia co-directed by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert. It explores how the Encyclopédie, comprising twenty-eight volumes with articles and illustrations across diverse fields, challenged royal authority and religious dogma while emphasizing freedom of thought, belief, and innovation. The study highlights the project's nuanced stance, noting it was not revolutionary in a political sense but focused on the value of manual labor and practical knowledge, with contributors envisioning societal improvement through the working class. Additionally, the book addresses contradictions within the Encyclopédie's imagery, such as its sanitized depiction of slavery, and situates the work within ongoing scholarly debates and digital humanities initiatives. This detailed examination serves as a valuable resource for understanding the intellectual and cultural impact of the Encyclopédie in eighteenth-century studies.