However, as fraser acknowledges in the book, there was no solid proof that the love. An utterly riveting and intensely moving book by one of our finest biographers. 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. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. The journey 9780385662871 by fraser, antonia and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read marie antoinette. Brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become legend, marie antoinette was blamed for instigating the french revolution. Frasers sizable new portrait avoids the saccharine romance of evelyne levers recent marie antoinette, balancing empathy for. For your reference, we provided these marie antoinette the journey quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book.
Her father was the emperor of the holy roman empire. Frances iconic queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous let them eat cake, was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. If you are a book reader and you like to read a lot then you are in the right place. The journey, published in 2001, also addresses their affair. Assess the political role of marie antoinette in the years shortly before the french revolution. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. The book, which was relaunched to coincide with the release of the related film, has had considerable success. She arrived as the unwelcome austrian woman representative of a foreign power, austria, generally disliked at court.
For centuries since, she has been the object of debate, speculation, and the fascination so often accorded illustrious figures in history. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately and with such authority as in antonia frasers newest work, marie antoinette. Her childhood is filled with instruction based on the probability that she is destined for a royal marriage to cement an alliance between countries and families. Antoinette goes into mourning for her loss but spends all her time trying to better the situation for her children. 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. Marie antoinette is probably the most famous and memorable lady in french history, bar none. Marie antoinette by antonia fraser books the guardian. Marie antoinette was a patron of the arts and a nature enthusiast.
The marriage was intended to strengthen the austrianfrench. A resolute biographer and a kinder, gentler antoinette the. How important was marie antoinettes childhood in austriahistorical enemy of francein influencing her career. My concern, as the subtitle of the book indicates, has been to trace the twofold journey of the austrianborn french queen. Thomas cromwell trilogy book 1 the wolf hall trilogy. Famously known as the eighteenthcentury french queen whose excesses have become brilliantly written, a work of impeccable scholarship. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so. It has been translated into french and italian, been. The journey is a sympathetic 2001 biography of archduchess marie antoinette, the queen of france 17741792 by antonia fraser.
Married at the age of 14 to louis xvi an act of diplomacy between austria and france rather than a matter of the heart marie antoinette entered into a life at court marked by scandal, tragedy and violence, as political upheaval swept through france. The marriage was intended to strengthen the austrianfrench alliance and produce sons to continue it. The journey began in vienna, where marie antoinette was just the youngest daughter of the empress marie therese. Erin 111720 i have always had a fascination with marie antoinette. I dont know why it took me so long to pick up this book.
The journey by antonia fraser, sofia coppolas marie antoinette is a powerful and sympathetic film of the tragic life of frances iconic and misunderstood eighteenthcentury queen. Shortly after midnight on june 20, 1791, a small group of people left the tuileries. Sep 04, 2001 thats why i was keen to call the book marie antoinette. Apr, 2017 antonia frasers biography marie antoinette.
Top 6 quotes from marie antoinette the journey free book notes. T marie antoinette the journey free download slideshare. A letter from lady antonia fraser my dear reader, i had always hoped to write about marie antoinette one daya childhood heroine like my first subject, mary queen of scotsbut when i started my real journey of investigation five years ago, i must admit that i had no idea what a rich, fascinating story it would prove to be. Is philanthropy an essential part of the royal role. 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. Thankfully, i read deborah cadburys book the lost king of france. The youngest daughter, fifteenth out of sixteen children, of austrian empress maria teresa and francis i, marie antoinette was sent on a literal journey by her mother from vienna to versailles with the expectation that she would further austrian interests at all times. The introduction, discussion questions, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading of antonia frasers acclaimed biography marie antoinette.
She began life as the daughter of an austrian queen. The french queen who emerges from the pages of antonia frasers marie antoinette. Above all, i have attempted, at least so far as is humanly possible, to tell marie antoinettes dramatic story without anticipating its terrible ending. Jul, 2001 marie antoinette antonia fraser 499pp, weidenfeld. Apr 01, 2007 the marie antoinette of the journey is sexually liberated fraser even has her using birth control and therefore made acceptable to the popular culture. It is the basis for the 2006 sofia coppola film marie antoinette. The tragic story of marieantoinettes favourite son right after and gained a much clearer and. Sep 23, 2001 fraser can now justify her book s subtitle, the journey, which denotes marie antoinette s amazing transformation in her last four years from heedless playgirl to endlessly courageous, decisive. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. Marie antoinettes scandalous secret letters to her. It is a portrait which contradicts evidence, presented in the same book and in other biographies, about the beliefs, sentiments and lifestyle of the true marie antoinette. It was a pageturner for me up until about the last 50 pages or so and then i started to get anxious for my next read. Marie antoinette was put into the care of constance weber, wife of a magistrate.
Antoinette is the fifteenth child of the austrian king and queen. Marie antoinette the journey, random house llc, 2002 512 pages. In lady antonias corrective portrait, marie antoinette is a sympathetic and at times even philanthropic figure. Nov 12, 2002 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.
Marie antoinette was of little use in the first endeavor. The journey follows the life journey and what a journey it was. The journey is a sympathetic figure, a wellmeaning yet flawed woman tragically caught up in political and social forces beyond her control. Frasers sizable new portrait avoids the saccharine romance of evelyne levers recent marie antoinette, balancing empathy for the pleasureloving queen with an. A compelling and human look at marie antoinette s life. My chosen subtitle the journey refers of course at one level to the journey marie antoinette made from austria to france at the age of fourteen, when she married the heir to the french throne, the future louis xvi. Frances beleaguered queen, marie antoinette, wrongly accused. In 1770, marie antoinette, aged 14, wed the awkward 16yearold who in 1774 became louis xvi.
Some of the very good biography books are available on our site and waiting for you. The journey 9780307277749 by antonia fraser and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Should she have tried to influence louis xvi more or was she correct to let history take its own course. Marie antoinette, queen, consort of louis xvi, king of france, 17551793. Never before has the life of marie antoinette been told so intimately. In this book, you will find information, tools and stories that shed light on other contributing factors of a spiritual and soul nature, which look like mental health symptoms on the surface but can be viewed as signs and signals of awakening, transformation and soul emergence. Antonia fraser picked quite an interesting subject, when she wrote the historical biography, marie antoinette. Its not so good to be the queen the new york times. 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. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Antonia fraser this biography examines marie antoinette s influence over the king, the accusations and sexual slurs made against her, her patronage of the arts, her imprisonment, the death threats, rumours of.
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