The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues

by Susan Griffin

They charmed some of Europe’s most illustrious men, honing their social skills as well as their sexual ones, and accumulating wealth, fame, and power along the way. Unlike their geisha counterparts, courtesans didn't lived in brothels or bend their wills to suit their suitors. They were the muses who enflamed the hearts of our most celebrated artists--Raphael, Manet, Dumas, and Proust, to name just a few--as well as becoming artists in their own right. Offering the first comprehensive tour of their worlds, Susan Griffins celebrates these first feminists and hails their virtues: Timing, Beauty, Cheek, Brilliance, Gaiety, Grace, and Charm.

From Veronica Franco, who graced the palazzos of sixteenth-century Venice, and Madame de Pompadour, the arbiter of all things fashionable at Versailles during the reign of Lous XV, to La Belle Otero of the grand boulevards of Paris in the Gay Nineties and Marion Davies, who took Hollywood by storm in the 1920's and 1930's, The Book of the Courtesans enticingly illustrates the intricacies of their lavish lifestyles and incredible life stories. Fascinating true tales and enlightening snippets from courtesans' memoirs further reveal how these cunning women seized their opportunity to become the West's first liberators, free to choose their own lovers and command remarkable respect.

Delving into his scintillating world, The Book of the Courtesans is an impeccably researched, beautifully crafted portrait of some of the most intriguing figures in women's history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Historical, Womens, Sexuality, France

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Susan Griffin is an award winning poet, writer, essayist and playwright who has written nineteen books, including A Chorus of Stones, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Named by Utne reader as one of the top hundred visionaries of the new millenium, she is the recipient of an Emmy for her play Voices, an NEA grant and a MacArthur Grant for Peace and International Cooperation. Her latest work, Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy, on being an American Citizen has been called "fresh, probing" and "incisive" by Booklist.

Reviews

[Roman Clodia · Rating 1 out of 5]

And when, smiling, she sees this, too, the feeling is suddenly so intense that you have the sensation of swimming in the candlelight that shimmers over her body. And now, beyond whatever she knows of you, revelation itself charges the atmosphere. As you take her, you are taken into a mythic realm, as if you yourself had become a god, your body a source of insight now, more alive than you thought possible, though this was all along what you desired.

Lordy, this book is nonsense! And if the purple prose and ridiculous mythologizing and romanticizing in the quotation above doesn't tell you all you need to know, let me just add that this book treats courtesans across history and cultures as if they're all one - historical or cultural difference just doesn't exist in this book. It is clearly propagating that old myth of the courtesan as an empowered proto-feminist who has control of her own sex life, and has this almost offensive way of switching into the head and body of the male buyer of the courtesan's body, as in the quotation above, that displaces the woman herself into a mere vessel for the man's (imagined) self-regard.

This extract comes at the end of a section on Veronica Franco, a sixteenth century Venetian courtesan and poet, and nowhere in her own letters or poetry does Franco write herself out in this way or attribute any kind of divine or mystical function to the act of sex. She most likely, like many of her fellow courtesans, died young and in poverty. The fact that she was a courtesan - a 'public' woman - certainly allowed Franco to write and put herself in print, an act that was itself regarded as akin to prostitution if the writer were a woman in the sixteenth century, but that serves to complicate our understandings of the various forms and cultural understandings of prostitution and the restraints and constraints that surrounded women in this period.

A book that creates a kind of composite ur-courtesan and then barely touches on the real lives of the actual women it purports to explore as if they lived outside of history and culture - pah!

[Cari · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are four major problems with The Book of the Courtesans:

1) Histories should contain more history than assumptions and fictional storytelling, and this one does not. Even though Griffin does state 'one can imagine' quite a few times before wandering off into fantasy land, that doesn't excuse the fact that this is more romanticized conjecture than actual history.

2) There was no logical progression and threatened at times to get bogged down in its own confusing narrative. The way the author jumps around from specific woman to a different specific woman to a generalized idea about all women to yet another different woman makes it difficult (if not impossible for some readers) to keep track. Not just poor organization but poor writing on Griffin's part: this happens in the middle of the same paragraph, not just in sections and chapters.

3) The writing style is overblown, approaching pompous. The flowery, indulgent prose in The Book of the Courtesans make some bodice-rippers I've read seem well-written and positively restrained. Several times I caught myself rolling my eyes because Griffin struck me as a young English major showing off all the 'big' or 'interesting' words she knows, regardless of the fact that they have no business in the sentence, do not actually means what she seems to think they mean, or are just flat out ridiculous. A good editor should've reeled in this tendency with a red pen but did not.

4) The book is just kind of boring. A great idea but the reality falls far short of the potential. Poor execution.


I'll admit I didn't finish this one; having made it most of the way through, I got tired of rolling my eyes and finally gave up on the last fifty pages or so. This could've been so good but turned out to be mostly a massive disappointment.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Griffin focuses nearly exclusively on European, particularly French, courtesans and their world. She makes few references to the courtesans of Venice or Greece, although she highlights two American women she believes are part of the tradition: Marion Davies and Klondike Kate. The bibliography is also heavily weighted towards France.

Griffin's style is light and enchanting, almost as if she is imparting delicious gossip or advice. These are women who lived fascinating lives in great contrast to the majority of their sex.

Klondike Kate apparently wrapped herself in 200 yards of gauze fabric and managed to suspend the material around her as she danced. I have seen dancers manage up to 10 yards of veils, but 200 yards of fabric is an impressive feat and one I wish had been captured on film.

Apparently the word demi-monde actually dates back to Dumas fils in the 19th century and so shouldn't be used in all those Regency romances. That's kind of interesting. How do so many people get that wrong?

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Griffin presents a fascinating and in depth look of the lives of some of the most independent, fiery and well-educated women, from times when such qualities were generally frowned upon in "respectable" females.

Though she references priestess/courtesans from greek and Roman days, and touches on personalities of the early 20th century, Griffin turns her gaze mostly to the courtesans of France from 1700 -1900. She also includes the dancer Nijinsky. . . a male courtesan, by her accounts.

Her style is rich and florid, with a decidedly romantic sensibility - perfect for the lives of these women who so often passionately went from abject poverty to the most luscious luxury imaginable. . . and often died young.
Her understanding of the emotional processes and mindset of these women, as well as the zeitgeist that they lived under that let their lives be possible, is impressive and touching. The details are fascinating. These, according to Griffin are their Virtues. . .the things which made the courtesans desirable in high society: Timing, Beauty,Cheek, Brilliance, Gaiety, Grace, and Charm. Their lives were defined by wealthy men. . .and their wealth and position made possible by the whore/virgin dichotomy that ruled thought about women - either you were marriageable, or you were not. If you were not - you often were a working woman who could expect a short life. . .indeed, a nasty, brutish and short one, with your fingers worked to the bone. Unless. . . you could find your way into this marvelous echelon of society. Yes, you were defined by the desires of others. Yes, you had to conform to what gave other's pleasure. BUT - if you learned to do this well - you could become rich beyond your wildest dreams, Kept, the bedmate of Kings and Nobility.

Griffin's writing revels in sensuality, as did these courtesans, promising to gratify every sense, where in polite company, every sensual pleasure was to be shunned. The details of clothing and fashion, interior design, and the amazing gentility and refinement of the life of high society are stunning.

I was left wondering more about the sordid details of these women's lives - some had children, usually early on in their lives before they became courtesans. How did they prevent pregnancy? What about diseases?
And I am now even more interested in knowing about the men and their attitudes, this strange (to me) society with the most amazing double standards, where a man could have mistress after mistress, and his wife was expected to be as pure as the driven snow. . .

But then, perhaps this book is a courtesan too - knowing how to show just enough, to imply, suggest and lead, without giving it all away. As any true hedonist understands, Desire is the greater part of Pleasure.

[Avery Grey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Griffin has an impressive resume and I wonder if this book was thrown together quickly to fulfill some contractual obligation. Other than the inane "virtues" categories, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to this. The author swings wildly between decades and centuries, trying to fit the courtesans into the categories, without actually delving into who they were as women. She includes women who weren't actually courtesans (Coco Chanel, Marion Davies) without expanding on why, and is almost clinical in her attempt to dissect the allure of the actual courtesans, never mentioning (perhaps because it didn't occur to her) that what each of these women shared was the "je ne sais quoi". That intangible "it" factor, which is impossible to explain. To disagree with several of the venerable writers who provided blurbs for the book, this was the least erotic book about the courtesans I've ever read. Skip it and go straight to the sources themselves (Liane de Pougy's "Blue Notebooks"), or to Cornelia Otis Skinner's "Elegant Wits and Grand Horizontals" for at least a tantalizing peek into the world of these fascinating women.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and well-written consideration, through case studies, of the qualities that made courtesans successful.

Not to be confused with the Susan Dunant novel published a few years later with the same cover and almost the same title.

[Ilona · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started off so hopefully. I enjoy the topic -- sexually powerful women -- but the book soon lost interest for me, for two main reasons.

1. There was soooo much speculation based on very little fact. Each section discussed a (presumed) characteristic of these women, but the examples were so extremely tenuous that all you were truly learning was the assumptions of the author. Extrapolation as an extreme sport.

2. The writing style. A plummy, juicy, overblown style that reminds me very much of how I wrote in first or second year university, when I was trying (too hard) to be Intellectual.

It reads, in the end, like a series of essays written by an intelligent but inexperienced 20-year-old. Disappointing.

[RavensScar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting topic. But the book was kinda a bit hard to follow at times. It jumps from one courtesan to the next with just quotes showing that there is a change in topic. I was a little bit confused about the Cora Pearl "chapter". It shows a picture of Cora Pearl and her name is the headliner, but it's not about just her :/ same with the other "headliner" names and pictures.
Maybe it just wasn't the right time for me to re-read this book.

[Liz Estrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the lives of courtesans. I picked up this book in my used bookstore for it piqued my interest. It did not disappoint. A historical look behind the lives of some very influential women, Susan Griffin brings back to life the era of the courtesans and the men who, ironically, made them famous, influential, wealthy and independent. Dating back to ancient Greece, Rome, the Italian Renaissance and the demi- monde of Belle Epoque Paris, this book traces how and why these women became who they were. Most came from poor backgrounds, but some were from noble/aristocratic families who had titles but not much money. Not many options were available for them back then: to be born poor, forced to work grueling hours in factories under horrible conditions with little hope of advancement, be born a titled aristocrat with no money and few marriage options, or be born into royalty and forced to marry some man they did not love and be tied financially to him for life. The only other option, besides being a prostitute working 24/7 with no independence whatsoever, or joining a convent, was (IF you had the "virtues" it took, such as beauty, charm, wit and grace) to be a courtesan for the rich and the artists. Many of these women had more financial independence than any other women of their time. They were courted by the richest men and modeled for famous painters, such as Tiziano, Boucher, Manet among others and were muses for many writers and poets. Their freedom was the envy of many. It made me think that if I lived back then I would have preferred that, then having to marry some rich scumbag, join a convent or work in a factory. At least they could choose their lovers and were given fab homes, clothes, jewelry and lots of money. Many started as showgirls or actresses in the hope of catching the eye of rich and important men. I believe I have some of those virtues!
Just wished there were more pictures of many of these women and the paintings since I had to keep looking for it on the Internet. Makes me want to reread Zola's famous novel "Nana" based on a real courtesan and "La Dame aux Camellia" by Dumas, which in turn influenced Verdi's great Opera, "La Traviatta". You will be surprised at how many of these courtesans you know by name!

[Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

if i could give this a 3.5 stars, i would. overall, i thought it was really interesting and i had an urge to continue reading. that being said, the reviews are right that it seems like it was written by an english major (overly complicated wording for no reason) and that it tended to have more fiction than fact. i tended to read the biographies more deeply than the hypothetical “this could have happened” stuff.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book that felt weightier than it was. I really loved the bios of some fascinating women I wouldn't have otherwise met, along with the juicy anecdotes that will be fun at parties (if I end up at the right parties). I was not enamored with the book's organization, however. It too often felt like a stretch to match each profiled character to a particular virtue, just to keep the structure intact. If you're a not-too-serious history buff who enjoys salacious content, this will be a jolly fun read.

[Cinnamingirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was somewhat intriguing, but not enough for me to bother finishing it. For one, the author likes to give really lengthy/poetic attempts at describing paintings or other images that are not actually shown in the book - or not identified enough for the reader to know which she is talking about. I feel like it would have been more readable and interesting enough to finish if there wasn't so much high-handedness.

[Rachel Adiyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of treating the lives of courtesans as an historical or biographical subject, their lives are rather analyzed in the light of the social sciences, specially that of culture. The Virtues of the title refer to an older meaning of the term which was not inextricably linked with the idea of goodness, but rather indicated traits which one possessed. Analyzing courtesans as a part of a pre-feminist world in which women in hard circumstances were often economically forced into some form of sexual exploitation, the author does not necessarily describe lives in which women were victims, but of lives in which women who were considered victims turned the tables on the world and used their talents, intelligence, skillfully "marketed" appearance, and even their vices to acquire wealth, fame, the company of men and women of brilliance, and immortality in books, plays, operas and films. This is neither a dark read nor one in which "they all lived happily ever after", but a speculative glance at this old world phenomenon. Best of all, it is not spoiled by an academic tone in the writing. I would recommend this to any who are interested in women before we could demand freedoms for ourselves.

HOWEVER: I do have an issue with something brought up in this book. Madame de Pompadour is early on described as a "courtesan", and continually spoken of as such throughout the text. However, historically speaking, she was not a courtesan. Madame de Pompadour was Maitresse en Titre of France, and did not have any protectors or men in her life other than Louis XV. I really hate historical inaccuracies. There is no way that a woman who was kept by only one man as his personal mistress throughout her life can be classified as a courtesan, as courtesans were not necessarily loyal to even their main patrons, whom were often replaced as soon as the money ran out.

[Randy Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought the book to explore character traits of courtesans with some concrete descriptions. I found it overly ornate and generalized even with the listed characteristics. I think another reviewer is correct in that this author with attempting to quickly fulfill a contract with her publisher and cranked out a formula that would sell to the audience - women.

1. I would have expected at least one chapter on the sexual prowess of these infamous women. No techniques are mentioned or referenced such as fellatio. It's hard to imagine just how they drove men wild and to sacrifice their fortunes to keeping these women.
2. A great historical fiction writer such as Bernard Cornwell in Sharpe's Rifles was more descriptive, historically accurate and a better writer! https://www.bernardcornwell.net/
3. Not all aspiring courtesans were successful. What happened to these women? What did they fail to do to make them favorites? Were they really allowed to be independent?
4. What about impact on politics? If they were influential during Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and were used to paint orientalist paintings of the time, then why is this not mentioned?

[AshleyYvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous! Sumptuous! Well researched and recorded ... it brings to mind one of my favourite books, What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, an autobiography of my favourite poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay - a veritable treatise on decadence, sensuality, and otherworldly passion. My love of geisha - but also unruly women in general - lead me to courtesanry and the many colourful personalities and lives contained therein. Brava!

[Ellie Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this!

I loved how it was written in a narrative style whilst weaving in details of so many different courtesans lives whilst maintaining their exploration of why or how a courtesan could have such an affect on a society.

I felt like it was a very good and easily accessible study. It didn't feel like some of the more heavy academic texts that I've read on the subject. It was a lot of fun

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting book… full of anecdotal evidence as to the power, influence, grace, charm, and wit of a group of women who have often been recast in history, or worse yet, written out altogether.

[Alan D.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una lectura pesada pero entretenida y educativa. A veces la autora se pasa con descripciones inútiles o sobrebuscadas, pero se mantiene entretenida la lectura la mayor parte del tiempo. Haber dividido el libro en las mencionadas virtudes fue un tanto extraño, no funciono mucho para mí, pero fue una apuesta atractiva por decir lo menos, si pasamos los textos con los que termina cada capítulo, que me parecieron estaban de más.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the history and societal impact of courtesans.

[Yoruichi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ce qui est dommage avec ce livre est que, bien qu'écrit par une femme, il contient pas mal de male gaze.

[Baroness · Rating 1 out of 5]

What started off as a juicy summer read turned out to be a bore.
I found myself questioning how these sinfully delicious women’s lives could be described so blah.

[Casey Clough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 100% speculative pop history, but boy is it full of fun (and totally made up) anecdotes.

[Kamaya Tarpley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was extremely informational

[Blaise Harman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about women in history and this one is salacious too, lol. Gotta love it!

[Xia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely seduction and alluring. I turned the pages earlier to read the many examples of courtesans past.

[Alison Orue · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Book of the Courtesans" by Susan Griffin is a captivating exploration of the lives and legacies of some of history's most fascinating and enigmatic women: the courtesans. In this meticulously researched and beautifully written book, Griffin offers readers a glimpse into the world of these iconic figures, who wielded power and influence in societies across centuries and continents.

Griffin's narrative is both scholarly and engaging, drawing on a wealth of historical sources to paint a vivid portrait of the courtesan's life. From ancient Mesopotamia to Renaissance Italy to 19th-century Paris, she traces the evolution of the courtesan archetype, exploring the complex intersections of gender, sexuality, and power that defined their existence.

One of the book's strengths lies in Griffin's ability to humanize the courtesans, moving beyond stereotypes and sensationalism to reveal the individuals behind the myth. Through meticulous research and empathetic storytelling, she breathes life into these women, illuminating their hopes, dreams, and struggles in a world that often sought to exploit and marginalize them.

Moreover, "The Book of the Courtesans" offers valuable insights into the social, cultural, and political contexts in which these women lived and worked. Griffin deftly examines the ways in which courtesans navigated the shifting power dynamics of their respective societies, carving out spaces of autonomy and agency amidst patriarchal structures.

At its core, "The Book of the Courtesans" is a celebration of female resilience and ingenuity. Griffin celebrates the courtesans' ability to defy societal norms and assert their own identities, even in the face of tremendous adversity. In doing so, she challenges readers to reconsider their preconceptions about these women and to recognize their contributions to history and culture.

In conclusion, "The Book of the Courtesans" is a compelling and thought-provoking read that sheds light on a little-explored aspect of history. Susan Griffin's evocative prose and deep empathy for her subjects make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the lives of extraordinary women who dared to defy convention and forge their own destinies.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't expected to want to keep this book; I figured it was another read-and-give-away sort, but I was drawn into the vignettes, the quick glimpses of women Griffin deemed "courtesans," from centuries previous to the 1930s. I'm drawn to Klondike Kate and think I might do some research on her for a poem. I appreciated how well-researched the book was, without showing its cards--the writing is clean enough to feel smooth, just enough. Her organization--by "virtues," as opposed by chronology or some other more dull preoccupation, gave the reader the opportunity to keep attendant to the script, and I appreciated that. So easily this could have turned into one of those rote, painful historical tracts. But it never turned away in tone, a slight sound of applause and admiration, combed together with fact.

I have mixed feelings about the prevailing attitude--Griffin's descriptions gave the women the power in the narratives, while I doubt that always felt true. I think of the dancers whose mothers sold them after performances to supplement income, the precariousness that is accepting a kept woman station (though who knows how differently a marriage might have worked for these women, especially in the particular times in which they lived?). There were women such as Sarah Bernhardt who truly seemed to rise above and have heart and soul for the performance profession, and I celebrate those.

[Nina Singhapakdi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with how to rate this because I went back and forth between enjoying this and finding it very taxing. The author's writing style is very flowery, but in a way that reminds me of those times the night before a paper's due and I'm trying to get up to a certain word count as quickly as possible. The book was also about 50% history and the rest of it was flowery narrative speculation. That on its own is not a horrible thing because flowery narrative speculation can still be pleasant. However she doesn't make it clear which is speculation and which is research. She will oftentimes make a statement as if it is fact. For those of us like myself who have read many books before this about this subject matter and are therefore already somewhat well-versed, we will read her saying that a certain courtesan's father was a monk and think, "No, he wasn't," and wonder if she's just making a mistake or if she's consciously altering the facts in order to make the woman's life seem more magical. This book is not intellectually responsible history.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that in spite of the many low ratings that has been given that I could enjoy this book but sadly I was wrong.

The choppy writing style is ok at first but then becomes unbearable as the book progresses. The main chapters are named after the virtues that these ladies possessed and there are sub-headings within those. None of that is problematic in the least but the real problem is that even within this fairly chaotic structure the author still manages to lose the thread and drift off topic. It's not unusual for the author to start talking about one lady and completely drift onto an other lady without ever finishing the first tale and it can become very frustrating. An example of this would be the section about Ninon de l'Enclos. The author briefly mentions Ninon only to drift onto Louis XIV and then onto Madame de Maintenon where the author then remains, leaving poor Ninon as a mere footnote in the tale of Madame de Maintenon.

Such a shame as I've been looking forward to reading this book for years and it could have been wonderful but sadly it's not.