Marie Antoinette
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4.2 • 5 Ratings
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
". . . [A] behind-the-scenes peek at Versailles . . . and an account of a fraught mother-daughter relationship. . . . [A] graceful guide . . ."
- The New York Times
This fascinating and poignant collection of letters between Marie Antoinette, the doomed dauphine and future queen of France, and her mother, Maria Theresa, archduchess of Austria and queen of Hungary and Bohemia, provide a revealing portrait of the legendary queen's tragic life and the age in which she lived. Beginning in 1770 when the young princess departed for France and ending with Maria Theresa's death in 1780, these intimate letters reveal the hostility the young dauphine encountered at Versailles, her flouting of court etiquette, and her interference in court politics. Maria Theresa offers her daughter constant advice on everything from matters of state to sex. These remarkable letters are superbly translated by Olivier Bernier, an acclaimed expert on eighteenth-century France, who also provides extensive commentary.
"[Marie Antoinette] remains an unforgettable royalist heroine . . . she never fails to move us. [Olivier Bernier's] vision of complicated events is always clear and understandable; his theories of history rethought. . . . Donnez-moi mon Bernier!"
- Vogue
"[This book] will change our picture of eighteenth-century France and deepen our understanding of power, naiveté, and corruption."
- Gloria Steinem.
Customer Reviews
This French major loved this book
I loved this book. The author published actual letters, with little commentary. The reader is allowed to enjoy and learn from the actual historical documents. I have a degree in French, so I am well-grounded in French history, but with this book, I felt that I was getting to know the real Marie Antoinette, not the one portrayed by Hollywood or mythmakers. Yes, she did spend lavishly but she also loved lavishly, and often had a tender heart toward those in need. For example, one day when Marie was following her husband on a hunt, there was a terrible accident. Marie’s compassion overflowed for the victim’s wife: As Ambassador Mercy wrote to Marie’s mother, Marie “got out of her carriage, ran toward the woman, and held some perfume to her nose-which made her come ouf ot her faint. Mme la Dauphine (Marie) gave her all the money she had with her, but what was even more admirable was the kind and consoling way in which HRH (Her Royal Highness, Marie) talked to the poor creature.” If you are intrested in French history, women’s history or history in general, you should find this book intriguing.