Manceron continues in the style he laid out with the first volume: chronological vignettes describing the years leading up to the French Revolution through the lives and personalities of the major and minor players. Vol. II introduces revolutionaries from across the Atlantic. Manceron's quirky approach to writing (and a failed promise to keep his own opinions to himself) can alienate the reader quickly -- I found myself compelled to keep reading just to see if his editor would ever rein in Manceron's ramblings (s/he never did). If you are looking for insights or interpretations to the period, this is not the place to start. That is not to say The Men of Liberty is without value -- it was a good idea never reaching its full promise.