The Good Doctor Guillotin
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Guillotin, of course, a physician and member ofthe National Assembly, involved in many importantevents, including the Tennis Court Oath.Nicolas Pelletier, the first on five-ness andPentagons, a second on hope and Utopia, a thirdon revolutionary violence, and a fourth on capitalpunishment. The revolution, after all, hadreduced the sale of pianos.The Good Doctor Guillotin follows five charactersto a common destination-the scaffold at the firstguillotining of the new machine, aGerman piano maker working in Paris, a freethinkerpredicting the Terror that will follow, but allowinghimself to initiate it.Father Pierre, the cur who accompanies Pelletierin his last days, a man torn between his religiouscommitment, and an equally strong commitmentto the poor and their revolution.This is no historical novel.Sanson, the famous executioner of Paris who, 9months later would execute the king and retirefrom remorse.Various other interesting figures briefly appear:Damiens, Mozart, Mesmer,