THE VANDERBILT HISTORICAL REVIEW

Clara Zou – Honoré de Balzac paints a social scene of Paris that fills the reader with the desire to belong and be part of an enchanting lifestyle full of beautiful fashion, exquisite homes, and luxurious evenings spent dancing. From the perspective of a law student, Monsieur Eugène de Rastignac, Balzac illustrates the ambition of sons and daughters to become part of the esteemed social sphere in Paris. Unfortunately, the ambition comes at the unsustainable expense of familie

Laura Grove – Pulitzer-prize winning writer Bret Stephens’s recent novel Since its conception, the United States has not only profoundly developed and flourished, but also grown in its influence and sway on an international level. The world has become Pax Americana; the ideals of the United States have, because of its prominence, spread around the world and helped maintain international peace. However, many believe that America’s dominant position in the world is deterioratin

Josh Hamburger – Murder Was Not a Crime: Homicide and Power in the Roman Republic In Murder Was Not a Crime: Homicide and Power in the Roman Republic, Judy E. Gaughan examines the lightly-researched (and lightly-punished) segment of Roman law dealing with murder, ranging from between private citizens to public condemnations. During the time of the res publica (republic), the Roman government took a noticeably ambivalent stance against murder that reflected their structure and