Love and Louis XIV
Halfway through reading
51/50 Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
I realized that I was really reading a tabloid. Granted, a tabloid about people who lived several centuries ago, but it comes out to the same thing: an obssession with the scandalous love lives of the rich and famous. But while I hate (love to hate?) reading contemporary tabloids, I positively enjoyed reading Love and Louis XIV. It relates the Sun King's life from birth to death through his relationships with women, from his mother, his queen, his main mistresses, his sisters (in law) and his daughters (in law).
Of course, I absolutely adore Fraser's work, particularly her voice (which makes it more enjoyable to read). Also, in contrast to her more recent work (The Wives of Henry VIII and Marie Antoinette) I was delighted to find that this story did not end in a tragedy. It moreover lacked the obssession with royal heirs that those previous books did.
I know HBO has The Tudors now, which I understand is a racier version of Henry VIII and his wives. I think they might've been better off with Louis if they were looking for scandal: Louis makes Henry look positively monogamous, with his wife and two mistresses trailing him during the war.
It's an excellent, enjoyable book.
Next: On hold. No idea.
Rest of my Reading List
51/50 Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser
I realized that I was really reading a tabloid. Granted, a tabloid about people who lived several centuries ago, but it comes out to the same thing: an obssession with the scandalous love lives of the rich and famous. But while I hate (love to hate?) reading contemporary tabloids, I positively enjoyed reading Love and Louis XIV. It relates the Sun King's life from birth to death through his relationships with women, from his mother, his queen, his main mistresses, his sisters (in law) and his daughters (in law).
Of course, I absolutely adore Fraser's work, particularly her voice (which makes it more enjoyable to read). Also, in contrast to her more recent work (The Wives of Henry VIII and Marie Antoinette) I was delighted to find that this story did not end in a tragedy. It moreover lacked the obssession with royal heirs that those previous books did.
I know HBO has The Tudors now, which I understand is a racier version of Henry VIII and his wives. I think they might've been better off with Louis if they were looking for scandal: Louis makes Henry look positively monogamous, with his wife and two mistresses trailing him during the war.
It's an excellent, enjoyable book.
Next: On hold. No idea.
Rest of my Reading List