Frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately r. All men lamented all men lamented that the realm was left without a male to succeed. Antonia fraser examines her influence over the king, louis xvi, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts which enhanced french cultural life, her imprisonment, the death threats made against her, rumours of lesbian affairs. In the past, antonia frasers bestselling histories and biographies have focused on people and events in her native. The book is at times dense because the author really goes into some of the politics, she involves important names and dates and many times i found myself googling people, events and. Nine months prior to that her husband, king louis xiv was executed. Fascinating guardian beautifully paced, impeccably written. May 30, 2002 marie antoinette by lady antonia fraser, 9780753858, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
John knox the winter of 1542 was marked by tempestuous weather throughout the british isles. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Shortly after midnight on june 20, 1791, a small group of people left the tuileries. Now she crosses the channel to limn the life of frances unhappiest queen, bringing along her gift for fluent storytelling, vivid characterization, and evocative historical background. Marie antoinette remains one of the most poignant and illfated characters in history. The journey, by antonia fraser april 26, 2011 by monitor staff. Brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship. View the profiles of people named antoinette antoinette. Novelist and historian fraser faith and treason, 1996, etc. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Antonia fraser examines her influence over the king, louis xvi, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts which enhanced french cultural life, her imprisonment, the death threats made against her, rumours of lesbian affairs, her trial during which her young son was forced to testify to sexual abuse by his. Frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. Antonia fraser picked quite an interesting subject, when she wrote the historical biography, marie antoinette.
Married in mere girlhood, this essentially lighthearted child was thrust onto the royal stage and. Memoirs of the court of marie antoinette, queen of france. The most famous line in gastronomic history, let them eat cake, turns out to have been. Jun 17, 2001 marieantoinette antonia fraser weidenfeld. Antonia frasers lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the listener not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era. In 1770, marie antoinette, aged 14, wed the awkward 16yearold who in 1774 became louis xvi. Marie antoinette by antonia fraser books hachette australia.
While antoinette never made the oftrepeated line to peasants seeking bread, she was a spendthrift, a trait that helped do her in when the revolutionary lawyers made their case against her. A biography of a queen who never said, as legend has it, let them eat cake. I have read every single book published in england about marie antoinette, and i think antonia fraser has done the impossible. She began life as the daughter of an austrian queen. Marie antoinette is probably the most famous and memorable lady in french history, bar none. Memoirs of the court of marie antoinette, queen of france, complete by mme.
Antonia frasers superb life of marieantoinette depicts a woman driven over. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read marie antoinette. Antoinettes story isnt really a tragedybut fraser somehow makes it seem like one. This is the number one book recommended by users on goodreads and amazon about the queen of france, and i am certainly going to read it as soon as i can. Should she have tried to influence louis xvi more or was she correct to let history take its own course. Every other book is written in the shadow of the guillotine. In the past, antonia fraser s bestselling histories and biographies have focused on people and events in her native england, from mary queen of scots to faith and treason. Antonia fraser the concentration in my book on marie. It is the basis for the 2006 sofia coppola film marie antoinette the book, which was relaunched to coincide with the release of the related film, has had considerable success. Antonia fraser s lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the reader not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, buaimedt also in the unraveling of an era. Lady antonia fraser discusses why marie antoinette has fascinated people throughout history. Antonia fraser writes beautifully, with impressively shrewd judgement. It has also been translated into french, been awarded the enid mcleod literary prize, received widespread critical success and been described as. One of the most wellknown and appraised biographies of marie antoinette is antonia frasers marie antoinette.
Marie antoinette by antonia fraser houston chronicle subscribe. Antonia fraser s most popular book is marie antoinette. The young archduchess antonia had no idea of her fate until the last few years of her life, and as a result of the way this book is. These all happened at the height of the french revolution 17891799. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in antonia fraser s newest work, marie antoinette.
According to antonia fraser, the french accused every foreign. Is philanthropy an essential part of the royal role. She has taken a woman who had been turned into a caricature, a posterchild for a typical example of reactionary, frivolous royalty, and turned her into a real, and sympathetic, human being. For centuries since, she has been the object of debate, speculation, and the fascination so often accorded illustrious figures in history. Marie antoinette by lady antonia fraser waterstones. On that same day, 217 years ago, marie antoinette or maria antonia josepha johanna 17551793 was executed by guillotine. This is a fine book and a very good read desmond seward daily mail in marie antoinette, fraser s superb gifts of narrative, characterisation and eye for salient detail are deployed to greater effect than ever before mark bostridge independent on sunday. December 2002 famous for her personal indulgences, as well as her vanity, frances controversial. Antonia frasers lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the listener not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, but also in. She was awarded the medlicott medal by the historical association in 2000 and was made a dbe in 2011 for services to literature. Pretty marie was raised to further the hapsburg familys political ambitions, as defined by her dominating mother, empress maria theresa of austriahungary. Antonia fraser is the author of many internationally bestselling historical works, including love and louis xiv, marie antoinette, which was made into a film by sofia coppola, the wives of henry viii, mary queen of scots, faith and treason.
Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in antonia frasers newest work, marie antoinette. Nov 12, 2002 antonia fraser s lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the reader not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era. Assess the political role of marie antoinette in the years shortly before the french revolution. The tragic life of marie antoinette, rich in conflicting detail, remains a biographers challenge, and antonia frasers richly human yet evenhanded account is a readers delight.
Frances beleaguered queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was the subject of ridicule and curiosity even before her death. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become legend, marie antoinette was blamed for instigating the french revolution. With marie antoinette, lady antonia fraser has written one of the more memorable biographies of recent years. The tragic life of marie antoinette, rich in conflicting detail, remains a biographers challenge, and antonia frasers richly human yet evenhanded account is a. December 2002 famous for her personal indulgences, as well as her vanity, frances controversial queen gets a break in frasers bestselling biography. Marie antoinette by antonia fraser houston chronicle. Antonia fraser has 107 books on goodreads with 215389 ratings.
Lady antonia margaret caroline fraser, ch, dbe, frsl nee pakenham. Antonia fraser s lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the listener not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era. Antonia frasers lavish and engaging portrait of marie. Frances beleaguered queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused. In the past, antonia frasers bestselling histories and biographies have focused on people and events in her native england, from mary queen of scots to faith and treason. Marie antoinette by lady antonia fraser, 9780753858, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Marie antoinette was put into the care of constance weber, wife of a magistrate. It is surprising how some books actually start with her arrival in france. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become legend, marie antoinette was. Fascinating guardianbeautifully paced, impeccably written. The book, which was relaunched to coincide with the release of the related film, has had considerable success. Antonia fraser is the author of many widely acclaimed historical works which have been international bestsellers.
The journey by antonia fraser is probably the most engaging biography in english, however i personally think that the author puts too much of her own opinions and 21st century interpretations on marie antoinette in the book. It is the basis for the 2006 sofia coppola film marie antoinette. Marie antoinette by antonia fraser read by lindsay duncan. It has also been translated into french, been awarded the enid mcleod literary prize, received widespread critical success and been described as definitive by british historian, amanda foreman. This book takes the reader on a journey through an incredible life, causing me to laugh, cry and at one point throw the book i was so incensed at the injustices love love love. Read marie antoinette the journey by antonia fraser available from rakuten kobo. The most famous line in gastronomic history, let them eat cake, turns out to have been an eighteenthcentury cliche. The journey is a sympathetic 2001 biography of archduchess marie antoinette, the queen of france 17741792 by antonia fraser. Somehow antonia fraser writes in a no nonsense way yet allows the reader to hear the music, and the swish of marie antoinette s skirts as she walked through versailles. Nov 12, 2002 frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. The tragic life of marie antoinette, rich in conflicting detail, remains a biographers challenge, and antonia fraser s richly human yet evenhanded account is a readers delight. Clearing up some misconceptions about a woman who was, in reality, surprisingly compassionate, fraser paints a compelling. Reading guide for marie antoinette by antonia fraser. The journey is a sympathetic 2001 biography of queen marie antoinette of france, by lady antonia fraser.
Mary, queen of scots by antonia fraser, paperback barnes. She is the widow of the 2005 nobel laureate in literature, harold pinter 19302008, and prior to his death was also known as lady antonia pinter. The journey by antonia fraser and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Aug 01, 2002 antonia fraser is the author of many widely acclaimed historical works which have been international bestsellers. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Antonia frasers most popular book is marie antoinette. Marie antoinette ebook by antonia fraser 9781400033287. The national bestseller from the acclaimed author of the wives of henry viii. Antonia fraser offers instead a picture of a courageous woman, more sinned against than sinning. Marie antoinette was a patron of the arts and a nature enthusiast. Born in 1755, the tiny archduchess of austria was sent to france at 14 to marry the sulky dauphin.
Antonia frasers lavish and engaging portrait excites compassion and regard for the. Constance, according to her son joseph weber, who later wrote his memoirs, was famed for her beautiful figure and an even greater beauty of soul. The story of the gunpowder plot, and perilous question. This is a fine book and a very good read desmond seward daily mail in marie antoinette, frasers superb gifts of narrative, characterisation and eye for salient detail are deployed to greater effect than ever before mark bostridge independent on sunday. Antonia fraser quotes from the concentration in my book on marie antoinettes childhood and on her family influences.
Join facebook to connect with antoinette antoinette and others you may know. Antonia fraser is obviously a fan of marie antoinette, her detailed biography of the former queen of france made me see marie antoinette in a different light. Marie antoinette, princess of versailles is a wonderful edition of the royal diary series. Apr 15, 2016 antonia frasers lavish and engaging portrait of marie antoinette, one of the most recognizable women in european history, excites compassion and regard for all aspects of her subject, immersing the reader not only in the comingofage of a graceful woman, but also in the unraveling of an era. In this stunning biography, antonia fraser, one of the worlds leading biographers and historians, brings to life this controversial figure whose extraordinary story continues to arouse mixed emotions.
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