portrait via here
I felt like some French drama this weekend... of the imaginary kind... not the real kind... there is always enough French drama of the real kind here... that is the joy of living in Provence. I'm talking the literary, historical, romance kind of French drama that transports and amuses...
My Kindle was looking a little empty so as I had a craving for period drama... extravagance... and excess of the French kind... I downloaded these... and I ordered the others for my bedside table... When I get in the mood to read about something I go the whole way...
My French Revolution reads...
on the Kindle
by the pages
or if a little revolution eye candy is your preference... the film
Marie Antoinette with Kirstin Dunst is a visual treat...
and the best Marie Antoinette read of all
Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
(European readers can find them here, here, here, here and here)
(European readers can find them here, here, here, here and here)
xv
Hope you had a great Easter. I made a prime rib, had a hard time cutting it.
ReplyDeleteRenee did a nice post for me, I cried.
Love the stories about Marie. She was so tiny
Did you ever read about the Sea Capt. from Maine that tried to get her Out of France. They built a house for her in Wisscasset Maine.
Thanks for the visit. Big huy Darling Lady.
yvonne
good afternoon miss V,
ReplyDeletei hope you had a happy Easter.
come see my 'best dressed bunny post.'
i love reading history...
and you are sure the best book on 'marie' is THE JOURNEY??
i am sure i would love it!!
hugs xo
Dear Vicki,
ReplyDeleteYou made wonderful choices. I've read them all and by far my favourite was Caroline Weber's book Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution. Although it is non-fiction, it is a pleasurable read and filled with true to life stories that will astound and amaze.
Hope you are enjoying your reading!
Best wishes!
Love that book too.Caroline Weber is brill.
DeleteSo many great reads Vicki. I feel like I can just reach out and feel the silk of her dress in that portrait, the velvet of the panels and chair. Stunning!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I love your suggestions and have enjoyed many of them, particularly Alison Weir's bio. I would also add Hilary Mantel's wonderful novel, "A Place of Greater Safety," which is not about Marie directly, but focuses on the events surrounding the Revolution. Highly recommended!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collection.. I'm on my way to fill my kindle with delicious reading! Hope your Easter was glorious there in Provence, Vicki! your gardens, earlier post, are absolutely stunning, even this time of year... the "bones" of the garden are superb!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a wonderful Monday
bisous
Kit
Who doesn't love Marie-Antoinette?
ReplyDeleteThe new French movie on her, Les Adieux A La Reine is winner!
Indeed, although Marie was not French, but Austrian. Good reads, though, and a wonderful film with Kirsten Dunst.
ReplyDeleteAntonia Fraser--that's will I'll get first. Have a wonderful Spring week in Provence. Mary
ReplyDeleteYes, I've heard about Goodbye, My Queen also. I've been trying to find the book, but one of yours will suffice perfectly. Love my Kindle too. xx's
ReplyDeleteExcellent list Vicki, and let's not forget the brand-new Benoit Jacquot movie, released in March, "Les Adieux A la Reine," ("Farewell, my Queen") with Diane Krugger as Marie-Antoinette. I have heard great things about it. Have you seen it yet, Vicki? Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
ReplyDeleteI loved Antonia Fraser's book. Devoured it, though I'd had no interest in Marie-Antoinette previously. I'll definitely check out your other recommendations.
ReplyDeleteI had a similarly decadent weekend! I bought the book "Fragments" - a collection of Marilyn Monroe's writings, notes, poems, letters, journal entries, lists. It's sweet and heartbreaking and fascinating. I also watched "My Week with Marilyn" and then happened to catch the end of a movie with her in it on public TV.
Both beautiful, tragic figures we spent our weekends with.
Dear Vicki,
ReplyDeleteA couple of days ago, I watched a two hour documentary all about Marie Antoinette. I have a real fascination for her. When we visited Versailles a while ago, I couldn't get over the enormity of the Palace and, as I walked down the Grand Staircase, I couldn't help but think that Marie had walked those stairs and held the same handrail as I was walking and holding. She really was quite hard done by by the people and, even though they had their grievances, she was but a child when she married Louis and didn't really understand the plight of the poor. They obviously had every right to storm Versaille but, the obscene abuse that Marie had to endure must have been so difficult for her. Anything about her is so interesting for me so, anything that you recommend is of great interest to me. I have seen the film a zillion times and know much of Antonia Fraser's work but, the others I shall definitely check out. XXXX
Marie Antoinette: The Journey is my choice. Thank you for the recommendation! Shiree'
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vicki, for including my books on your list. I am truly honored. All the other books about Antoinette (she was never called "Marie") you mention are very good reads. I would also recommend the two volume double biography of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette by Nesta Webster. It is the BEST biography of the Queen by far in English. The best biography in French is L'Insoumise by Simone Bertiere. It is worth learning French just to read it!! My regards to you!!
ReplyDeleteBTW, you have a really beautiful blog! I am delighted to have discovered it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book recommendations. I'll have to check these out!
ReplyDeleteI love a book by Elizabeth De Feydeu (I think that's the spelling, book in storage sadly). She's a French academic and the book is all about the perfumer at MT's court- it's fascinating. I know a lot of people didn't like the Sofia Coppola film- and there are things I don't like too- but it looks great and I liked the freshness- I think the mistake was maybe going towards the end...
ReplyDeleteWe just saw Abel Gance's 'Napoleon', the whole five and a half hours of it: absolutely fantastic! do see it if you can, I don't know where it is showing next, but it is a must-see.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, Beautiful Painting.
ReplyDeleteah.....fascinating history. I know Elena Vidal, her Trianon is well researched. Anything Fraser pens is wonderful. Alison Weir's Mistress of the Monarchy ( Life of Katherine Swynford) is excellent so her insight into Marie Antoinette is sure to please.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part it appears that Marie was deliberately cast as unfeeling and obtuse--she was a victim of a shrieking mob rule, yet went to her death with dignity, a queen to the core. I'm still (after many years!) a fan of Edmund Burke's view of the French Revolution. He wrote of Marie Antoinette:
“It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then the dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision...little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fallen upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor, and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look that threatened her with insult.
But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded, and the glory of Europe is extinguished ...The unbought grace of life, the ready defense of nations, the nurse of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise is gone, {it] inspired courage whilst it mitigated ferocity, which ennobled whatever it touched, and under which vice itself lost half its evil, by losing all its grossness.”
From Marie's final letter:
16th October, 4.30 A.M.
"It is to you, my sister, that I write for the last time. I have just been condemned, not to a shameful death, for such is only for criminals, but to go and rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to show the same firmness in my last moments. I am calm, as one is when one’s conscience reproaches one with nothing. I feel profound sorrow in leaving my poor children: you know that I only lived for them and for you, my good and tender sister."
* * *
Thank you for this great post!
Vixen
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki
ReplyDeleteLovely post as ever. Wondered if, as Easter is upon us and 'family' time becomes paramount, you ever find yourself missing Australia or consider returning home one day? Of course your family is abroad with you too, but do you perhaps miss the familiarity of culture, the safety of understanding, the constance of lifelong friends and family.
It would be lovely to hear your insights as a most expressive expat!
Many thanks
The Journey..sooo wonderful. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I discovered your blog, after clicking through from the English Muse. As an Australian writer of French heritage (and SO in love with France), I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to exploring your website. I need a rainy afternoon and several hours to myself and oh boy will I immerse myself in reading here.
ReplyDeleteVicky, just read your about you post on the Enchanted Home. It was sweet and interesting and you really are a very lovely woman!
ReplyDeleteI have "Marie Antoinette: The Journey" by Antonia Fraser. It was such an interesting read. I even cried. I'd never read such an in depth detail of her life. Such an amazing biography.
ReplyDelete~ Clare x