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(see under "By Era" for French Revolution fiction)
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Catherine Delors
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Post by Catherine Delors » Mon October 13th, 2008, 7:33 pm

Thanks, Princess Garnet! I wholeheartedly second your choices...

From Chantal Thomas (Farewell My Queen) I also recommend The Myth of the Wicked Queen, which is non-fiction.

Also on the non-fiction side, all the great memoirs of the time, many of which have been translated into English: Madame Campan, Madame Vigee-Lebrun, Duke de Lauzun, Madame Roland, Comtesse de Boigne, Marie-Therese de France, Madame Tussaud. Grace Elliott too. No better way to understand history than through the testimony of eyewitnesses.

annis
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Post by annis » Mon October 13th, 2008, 8:14 pm

Grace Elliott is a fascinating subject. One of history’s great survivors, she lived through the tumultuous events of the French Revolution, was incarcerated in four different Republican prisons, saw friends and contemporaries die but narrowly managed to avoid execution herself.

Described as “the statuesque Mrs. Elliott—a Scottish lady of great beauty but easy virtue ", she lived on to the age of 70, and unlike many other courtesans, died in comfort as a wealthy woman.

She is the subject of Jo Manning’s 2005 NF book "My Lady Scandalous: The Amazing Life and Outrageous Times of Grace Dalrymple Elliot, Royal Courtesan"

Grace’s own memoirs,"During the Reign of Terror: Journal of My Life During the French Revolution" are available in English translation and can be read free oline at the Internet archive:
http://www.archive.org/details/duringre ... 00elliiala

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Catherine Delors
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Post by Catherine Delors » Mon October 13th, 2008, 8:42 pm

Thanks for the reference, Annis. What a life Grace Elliott had! Her Memoirs are a great read, though she takes some liberties with the truth on occasion (not about the prison scenes, though, they feel absolutely right.)

I haven't read the bio you mention. Was it any good?

And Margaret, thanks for the great review, I just discovered it! Funny how the conversation about the equality of men/liberty of women struck you. I will add HistoricalFiction.info to my blogroll.

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Volgadon
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Post by Volgadon » Mon October 13th, 2008, 9:35 pm

Wasn't there a movie about Grace Elliott?, the Lady and the Knight, or some such?

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Catherine Delors
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Post by Catherine Delors » Mon October 13th, 2008, 9:44 pm

Yes, The Lady and the Duke, by Eric Rohmer. Very good, and it follows very closely Grace Elliott's memoirs, including the parts that seem a bit iffy to me. But the film is a great introduction to the Revolution.

annis
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Post by annis » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:23 pm

I haven't read the bio you mention. Was it any good?
It was an entertaining read, Catherine, though as some reviewers have commented a bit gushy and purple prosy at times. I can't swear for the historical accuracy.

Here's a selection of reviews ( though I have a feeling that Harriet Klausner is a bit suspect!)
http://www.jomanningbooks.com/CoversAnd ... views.html

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Catherine Delors
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Post by Catherine Delors » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:31 pm

Thank you, Annis!
Ah, Harriet Klausner, the mythical No. 1 Amazon reviewer... I have a confession to make: I really, really admire people who read 500+ books a year (and have time left to write Amazon reviews of the same, in addition of course to attending to their families, earning a living, having a life, etc.)

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Post by annis » Mon October 13th, 2008, 10:35 pm

Lol! I suspect that the only bit HK reads is the book description on the back cover!

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Catherine Delors
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Post by Catherine Delors » Mon October 13th, 2008, 11:43 pm

There was an article in Slate by a writer who was wondering the same thing (and yet he had received a 5 star from the No. 2 reviewer, Harriet's runner up.)

tsjmom
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Post by tsjmom » Mon December 22nd, 2008, 4:14 pm

It's always so difficult to find French HF books, so thanks for a lot of new recommendation :) I've added several to my TBR list.

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