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starting us off...
- Catherine Delors
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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.
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.
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
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
- Catherine Delors
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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.
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.
- Catherine Delors
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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.I haven't read the bio you mention. Was it any good?
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
- Catherine Delors
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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.)
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.)
- Catherine Delors
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