Versailles

by Colin Jones

The vivid story of the creation, renovation, and enduring legacy of the most famous building in the palace of Versailles

Nothing represents the glorious and fraught history of France quite like the Palace of Versailles. Made famous by the absolutist king Louis XIV, Versailles became legendary for the splendor of its revels -- but then, after the Revolution of 1789, it fell into disrepute as a reminder of royal excess and abuse of power. Subsequent French governments struggled with how to handle the opulent palace and grounds -- should the site be memorialized, trivialized, rehabilitated, or even destroyed outright?

Drawing on a new wave of recent research, historian Colin Jones masterfully traces the evolution of Versailles as a space of royal politics and aristocratic pleasures, a building of mythic status, and one of the world's great tourist destinations. Accessible and compelling, this book is a must-read for all Francophiles.

Genres: History, France, Nonfiction, Art, Historical, Royalty, 18th Century

224 pages, Hardcover

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

Netgalley #80

Many thanks go to Colin Jones, Basic Books, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

As a lover of history, especially French history, it's not uncommon to say one's read a book about Versailles. Not all cover from that great palace's inception to the 21st century. Jones does an excellent job of fleshing out the stages of its existence while adding photos to enrich the experience.
Versailles has had a rough life. It's been used most intolerably. It's only recently in the scheme of things that the splendor has been updated and visitors can see what all the hype was about. Jones takes the reader on a journey through its grandeur to its vandalism and close to its extinction.
The only reason I didn't rate this four stars was because it was so rote, so dry, so impersonal. True it was about a building, but I feel like it could have been spiced up a bit. Jones is a fine writer. Nothing wrong with his style. I just like a little more pizzazz.

[Arybo ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The place name derives from the old French versail, meaning a ploughed field.




One of the places that attract the largest number of visitors visiting Paris is Versailles. Naturally, the beauty of the place and the richness of the ornamentations are the main factors that attract this mass of people, who find themselves in a place of historical importance that is fundamental for the history of France and of the whole world. The palace of Versailles was built by the Bourbons about 20 kilometers from Paris, easily accessible nowadays by car and public transport.



Versailles became the seat of the political power of the kingdom of France from 1682, when the King Louis XIV moved his court there, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789, at the dawn of the French Revolution. Important personages of world history have passed through the corridors of the palace, such as Louis XIV and his descendants, tzar Peter the Great and Marie Antoniette, Perrault, writers and musicians.
The palace was initially founded as a place for hunting retreat, it was chosen by the kings then as a holiday home, and then literally becomes the fulcrum of French power when the decides to transfer the entire court in this building, with thousands of workers and administrators. Even the nobles must be constantly present inside the building, because they are part of the administrative apparatus of the kingdom.




The author of the book does an excellent job in describing the various states of the building from its foundation up to the present day, paying particular attention to the mental mechanisms of the rulers who have succeeded since its foundation. The fortune of Versailles also depends on the consideration that the kings gave to this place. Sometimes there were those who wanted to continue to see Versailles as a center of power, sometimes there were those who wanted to have the kingdom under control from Paris directly.
Like all historic buildings Versailles has had several moments of wealth and decline, the author bends this fact very well. Unfortunately, at a certain point the narration appears arid, like a basic succession of facts and dates. In the long run, the reader may get tired.




Although the book is well written and includes a lot of historical and artistic informations, it all seems almost a storytelling of events, cold, without much interest from the author. The Writing, in fact, even if is very clear and easy to follow, appears cold and a bit like a school textbook. That said, this is my personal opinion, the book is very enjoyable, especially if you want to study the palace of Versailles and its gardens from a non-fictional historical point of view.
An interesting book, for sure, but from which I expected more.
I especially want to underline the skill of the author in knowing how to write about historical facts, not by playing academics: historical facts are well explained and the author demonstrates their impact on the building.
I recommend the book to those who love history and France, just remember that it is a nonfiction book. I appreciated the images and the little notes about daily stories of the building, fun facts about the people and servants. Really interesting is the focus on the republic periods.

Fun fact: I discovered that D’Artagnan was a real person.




*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a free digital copy of this book for an honest review, I appreciate so much *

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERSAILLES provides an absorbing front-row look at one of the most magnificent buildings in the world, based upon new research that traces its creation and evolution into a political locus of power — and to today, a coveted world tourist destination. Well-written addictive reading for the Francophile and the Francophile-in-training. Author Colin Jones teaches at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Chicago and has penned many French history books, including the definitive Paris: A Biography of a City. 5/5

Pub Date 13 Nov 2018   

Thanks to Perseus Books, Basic Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#Versailles #NetGalley

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vivid and comprehensive history of Versailles, its denizens, and its creators.

There isn't much that's new here if you know your French royal history, but Jones has done an admirable job of providing a thorough, superbly-researched, and all-encompassing volume on the subject.

Bonus points for stellar selection of photo plates accompanying the text.

*I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Colin Jones, this is a historical account on the Palace of Versailles. Going in chronological order, Jones writes of the building's humble origin as a hunting lodge before enduring the long constructions to becoming the iconic palace it has been known for to this day.

It is not a thorough, more brief in its explanation behind the significance of Versailles. However, as an introductory history book it suites its purpose with nice little tidbits about the kings who lived in it and the renewed interest by the French public when monarchy was no longer a thing. There is a bounty of info presented regarding the rooms, gardens and construction of the place despite the rather dry language used. Given my recent interest in 17th century history this year, I found Versailles to be satisfactory in learning more about its roots and significance it still has today.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and quick read about a place I did not know much about. The author takes the reader from Versailles's beginning as a hunting lodge to its status as the center of government and society, through its disuse and then later use as museum. I'm sure I'll never be able to keep straight which King Louis did what but that isn't the books fault.

[Ellise Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to Versailles. Captivating and non-sensational, a quick and inviting read.

[julianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

From the publisher "The vivid story of the creation, renovation, and enduring legacy of the most famous building in France: the palace of Versailles."

I can agree that it's the story of the creation, renovation and legacy of the palace of Versailles. However, it certainly isn't vivid. The writing is clunky and at times feels like it's aimed at 8 year olds wanting a dumbed down history of the building.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in return for an honest unbiased review.

[KAdelaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy book to read with easily accessible information. Nicely illustrated too with events and persons of the period.

It seems Louis XIV, the Sun King was the extravagant one. He even had a private chemistry and physics lab set up in his private palace quarters. Not many people knew what went on in there, as guests to the private part of the Palace were limited. My thoughts maybe he was into alchemy or something...

Then there was Louis XV whom kept the place going. He knew when to be King, but liked doing his own thing too. He contrasted with Louis XIV whom was always on show.

And Lastly Louis XVI whom lost the throne and his life. He did not enjoy being King, his regency was overwhelmed by debt- most of it from war payments (and the war payments were from the previous century).

The book details what happened during the Republic years- how the spoils were distributed out to various museums and private collections, how Versailles became an empty shell- and the Mona Lisa ended up in the Louvre. And repercussions now- Versailles has requested the return of its items, but the Louvre don't want to give Versailles back the Mona Lisa.

And the book lastly deals with the war years. In 1870-71 Prussias Emperor was declared over a unified Germany in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. A month later France signed a peace treaty whose terms included a massive war indemnity and ceding Germany two French provinces.

It is no wonder France insisted the 1919 surrender and peace treaty of the Franco- Prussian war, end of WW1 be signed at Versailles.

WW2, the place was basically boarded up. The Germans never took control over it (plans to give to a Vichy President fell through)..Also it avoided any bombings from allies. Although the Hall of Mirrors did become a site for German soldiers to come to kick the spot where the treaty was signed! But it never became a Nazi hotspot.

Very interesting book

[Melkor von Moltke · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first saw this book it peaked my interest, but I was admittedly concerned that Mr. Jones had simply crafted an architectural history of the famous Versailles Palace. Thankfully, while the architecture is included, as is necessary in a history of a building, it was not all East Wings and flying buttresses. Mr. Collins has crafted a wonderful general history of Versailles, from Louis XIII's hunting lodge to modern day restoration efforts.  He delves into the construction of the grand palace (as well as the constant effort at maintaining the elaborate rooms and grounds), the lifestyles of the Bourbons who lived there, and the confused place that Versailles held in France until the late 19th century.

The book excels at covering the history of Versailles up to 1789. From the Kings' elaborate schedules, ceremonies, and hunting habits, to the queens' various levels maltreatment, to the hordes of nobles thirsting for favor, to the legions of servants and tourists (the latter lining up to watch the king eat his breakfast) Mr. Collins has crafted a superb look at court life in the 17th and 18th centuries. I also appreciated that when French phrases were used, they were generally translated.

Unfortunately, the last chapters are a bit less well rounded. After the French Revolution history speeds up and even major moments, like the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, are glossed over. Interesting tidbits still show up, like Louis-Phillip's hastily assembled museum of battles, but they are mostly rushed through.

Overall, for anyone curious about the palace and it's inhabitants in the heyday of the Bourbon dynasty, this is a good general history. The last chapters don't take enough time but are still generally interesting.

[Shadoshard · Rating 3 out of 5]

History isn't just cold data and facts, and I think the subject of this book would have been better served if the author had considered those other factors.

Versailles, considered one of the many historical hearts of France, was constructed by the Sun King after 1660 and was the center of some of France' great moments in history. The French people and the ex-pats that donated millions of dollars to resurrect the structure and the grounds are a testament to that. And 164 pages does not do it justice. I got more of the passion and feeling and history just walking the silent halls than I did reading a book that was supposed to cover several centuries worth of data. While it conveyed that data well, it lacked heart and it was hard to imagine the writer having any passion for the subject. I wanted far more than this book was able to provide on a subject that is as much a character of its own as the players that 'strut and fret upon' its stage.

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Versailles is a historical account of the infamous palace in France from the early days of construction of the palace through modern day. I was hoping this would be more an account of the palace itself, to include the innovative approaches to the construction itself. These were essentially glossed over. What this book did cover was a good high level overview of the different monarchies that inhabited the palace and how that shaped its definition as a palace. There was a lot covered with little attention to detail, which just made this a good overall summary of Versailles, its inhabitants, and how it became the site thousands of tourists visit today. Unfortunately, this wasn't what I was expecting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history of the Palace of Versailles and its role in French history. While most histories of the palace end with the French Revolution, Jones discusses how the palace became a site of historical memory in times of empire, restoration and republic. Interesting to read how attitudes towards preserving and restoring the site have changed over time. Early 19th century romantics enjoyed the dilapidated appearance of the neglected palace while Napoleon III was prepared to demolish rooms that belonged to Louis XVIII and Charles X in their youth to make way for galleries of battle paintings that created a cohesive (but not always accurate) narrative of French history.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I visited Versailles for the first time this past summer, I became fascinated with the history. I picked this small book up and it really gives a great walkthrough of the history of Versailles — from it’s starting as a small hunting lodge, to it’s peak in popularity, to falling into disrepair— this book covers it all!

I do feel like this book is super helpful if you’ve been there, and if you’ve never been, this might be a bit too detailed. I also wish it was written a bit more warmly, and accessible to the average reader. It definitely reads like a history textbook, which I didn’t mind, but I do think will turn some people off.

[Jonathan K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seemed like the ideal time to read up about Bersailles before I visit next summer and Colin Jones’ book takes, what i feared may have been a dry and dusty read, into an informative history from Louis XIII to the present day. Rarely does a truly impressive building and park encapsulate the evolution of a nation o er a few hundred years. This book has me excited to visit and learn even more about French history.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting to see the history of such a historic place. It makes you think about how some places we take for granted could be seen in the future. I always find it fascinating how piecemeal these places were put together. And it's usually amazing how they've managed to survive history and the test of time.

[Corrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting because it gave a complete overview of the history of Versailles. I think it was “good” but not amazing and not something I could really see myself recommending to anyone else as a must-read. I took French through high school and college plus visited Versailles twice in my life, therefore it’s interesting to me. But other than that it was just a decent read, in my opinion.

[Jan Daulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great history of the monarchy and the building of Versailles. I was hoping for more. I was hoping to find out where the found the furnishings, how the restoration was done. The book only touched on these things. I did find this interesting, and if you are headed to Versailles and have never been there, I would read this book. Doesn't take long.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise, straightforward summation of the story of Versailles...but like a number of books I've read recently, there's something lacking here -- a spark, an enthusiasm that should be infectious to the reader. It's a perfectly serviceable and useful book...but I would like something that fires my imagination a bit more than this.

[Sanjuro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, concise, and relatively interesting overview of the history of Versailles. I'll be visiting the palace in a month, and this book provided exactly the sort of brief history I was expecting, accompanied by photos and recreations of important art works. Jones keeps his prose simple and provides the most important details. A good introduction.

[Ashley H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great little book. History can be super dull, but this book keeps things moving, keeps it interesting; I couldn't put it down. It got me so excited about French monarchs that I requested 2 more books from the library. Amazing.

[Ming Kahnawake · Rating 5 out of 5]

《凡尔赛宫》读完了。书好，翻译非常好，流畅易读。历史部分言简意赅，线索清晰。而且书后完整保留了相关引文和索引以及名词原文，真的是特别少见的圆满。19年去凡尔赛宫的时候，我在外围步行一周，然后看了里面。那建筑本身和里面的艺术作品令人惊叹不已。特别是拿破仑加冕的壁画，约瑟芬的美貌栩栩如生，不在现场不可能看到那种效果。这本书带我重温了那些美好的回忆和相关历史知识，是本非常不错的历史读物。想了解凡尔赛的人必读。

[Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

General introduction to the place. It feels like a wiki article in a physical book format.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely history of one of the most important buildings in France. Deals with the political and social importance of the place, highly enjoyable.

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, black and white pictures :(

[Robin Kubis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well thought out, but ultimately, a short dry read.

[Ashley Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

this gave more info on versailles. i love versailles❤️❤️ but i wanted to know more about marie antionette’s hamlet and this didn’t really go into that. guess ill have to read more oh no!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This went beyond the usual tourist hype and provided the evolution of Versailles from hunting lodge to tourist site. It is amazing it is still in tact for us to enjoy today. I've always hoped to visit in person when I get around to saving for a major excursion abroad. This book has motivated me to more actively save for this purpose.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book for me to review!

Although I am an historian, I know surprisingly little on the specifics of Versailles. Yes, I know that it was turned to a hunting lodge to the palace that it is by Louis XIV and that it featured spectacularly in Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's downfall, but that is about it. This is a fantastic history of Versailles- Jones provides enough history and details to actually give you a solid foundation on the history of Versailles without continually overwhelming you with a mountain of minutia. A lot of architectural history tends to lean heavily into the history of the architect and/or the entire construction schedule. However, Jones balances the actual building with the people who lived in and around it.

I also very much appreciated that this continued on past the French Revolution. It is obvious (by the Instagram and blog posts that we see) that Versailles is still around to visit now, but when so many buildings didn't survive the Revolution, how this particular palace did was my biggest question. He also carried it into the modern period, and delves into the modern curators that brought Versailles into the twentieth century and beyond!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from this book. A fascinating history of Versailles. Can't wait to visit in person someday but, for now, Colin Jones' Versailles is the next best thing.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.