Marie Antoinette

by Joan Haslip, Christian Spiel (Translator)

good solid reading

Genres: History, Biography, France, Nonfiction, Historical, Research, 18th Century

436 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Joan Haslip was an author of historical books, often focusing on European royalty. She was born in London and educated in London, Paris and Florence. Her first book, Out of Focus, appeared in 1931; among her other notable publications are Lady Hester Stanhope (1934) and Parnell (1937). She also wrote for the London Mercury, the Daily Mail and Evening News, and the Illustrated London News.
She also worked for the Italian section of the BBC from 1940 to 1944. Her books were generally regarded as accurate and fairly complete although at times falling prey to "outdated interpretations".

Reviews

[Binston Birchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly Joan Haslip knows her stuff, she proves it time and again throughout the book. It picks up with Marie Antoinette’s marriage and ends abruptly at her death. Through a vast collection of primary sources (sooo many letters were written in those days) Haslip is able to construct a very detailed picture of Marie Antoinette’s life, which she is both sympathetic to and critical of. While there was detail aplenty I never felt the book got bogged down in minutiae. As for this me, this is exactly the type of biography I was looking for. I now know the gossip, the rivalries, and the frivolity that led to her (and france’s downfall).

Having at least a little background of the French Revolution will help immensely with that later half of the book. All in all, a very compelling read.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ironically, the press for this book stresses the 'romantic story' of Marie Antoinette's life, yet, Haslip resists the titillating aspects and relates the complicated, intimate life of the Queen in factual and readable text--with a dash of energy with word choices. Overall, a great biography.

[Robin Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution fascinating. I really enjoyed this book - just immersed myself in French history for awhile. What a tumultuous time for that country.

[Merle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book just for fun and definitely got a good idea of the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette!

[Manny Villa]

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[Grace79 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s very how some people that she helped managed to betray her. But she died with dignity including her husband, the king. There were not able to prove anything to charge warrant a death penalty.

[P.J. Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presents Marie Antoinette as a kindhearted and generous person. It sympathizes with her difficulties in a foreign and not-so-friendly court. But it also acknowledges her frivolity, her extravagant lifestyle, and her irresponsible spending. In Chapter 22 it calls her stupid and arrogant, “a spoilt, capricious woman, who always acted on impulse and never stopped to reason.”

There is some new material here. In addition to public archives in Vienna and Paris, the author accessed many private archives, diaries, and letters, including the queen's correspondence with her mother and her brother, and her secret love letters with Count Axel Fersen. The reader is treated to an occasional ribald ditty from the streets of Paris or Versailles.

A good introduction to Marie Antoinette, especially her earlier years, but not necessarily to the politics that surrounded her. There are better sources for the political context. A big book, thorough and well researched. Indexed and illustrated.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a work of fiction this could be okay (I just dislike the author's writing style), but as a biography it feels too unreliable when the author tells us the most private thoughts of Marie Antoinette in this or that situation.

[Angie Fehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid biography though not always riveting. Not overly dry though. Helped me see more than just the cartoonish figure history has made Antoinette. It's also a bit special for me because it was the book I was reading the night I met my husband ;-)

[Sanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite hard to read with all the detailing, and describes of how she tought and felt.