European Royalty discussion

So far right on track for 100 by Dec 31. Good luck everyone :)
1) The Beautiful and Damned
2) Julie and Julia
3) The Diary of a Mad Bride
4) Size 12 is Not Fat
5) Scandal of the Season
6) Every Friday Night
7) Bitter is the New Black
8) Murder on Astor Place
9) Undomestic Goddess
10) Maisie Dobbs
11) 1 For the Money
12) 1st to Die
13) La Cucina
14) Postmortem
15) 2nd Chance
16) The Gold Coast
17) Body of Evidence
18) All That Remains
19) Cruel and Unusual
20) A is for Alibi
21) 2 For the Dough
22) 3 to Get Deadly
23) Bonfire of the Vanities
24) 3rd Degree

does anyone have any recommends of french royal historical fiction? all of the Tudor books i have read have some of france in them (francois d Valois etc.) i'm interested in reading more of france , as by now I think i have pretty much exhausted my reading on Tudor england. lol
let me know, thanks!

I own, but haven't read yet, a book called The Spider King (I'm not sure of the author, but I did add it to the bookshelf of this group). It is about one of the Louie's (the 11th I believe). It got very good reviews which is why I bought it. Only used copies seem to be available, so you would have to get it online or at the library probably.

Jean Plaidy wrote a trilogy about Marie Antoinette. I have the titles at home, so I'll have to add them later (I do have them on my personal to-read shelf, so you could look there). I think these are also only available used right now. I haven't read these books yet either, but I've read a ton of Jean Plaidy books, and they are all very good. Her trilogy about Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain is excellent (I've read it multiple times), and it goes into Katherine of Aragon's childhood which may be interesting to you since you're a Tudor fan. Unfortunately, I think you'll have to find it used as well!

If I can think of any others, I'll let you know. Thanks for the topic by the way! It's fun expanding beyond the Tudors for a change!

Oh yeah, The Queen's Secret by Jean Plaidy is about a princess of France (Katherine of Valois) who ends up marrying Henry V of England. A lot of it deals with her childhood in France. She's the one who started the Tudor line with Owen Tudor (Henry VII of England was their grandson or great grandson I believe). It's an excellent book! Not totally French, but it's a great read, and you can get it new unlike the other books I mentioned!

thanks. i have recently started reading Plaidy's books, i read Mary, Queen of France, and i have also borrowed lady in the tower from the library...i have been borrowing most books lately because it is just so expensive to buy all! i will have to check those out. thanks again

by the way ,i loved the innocent traitor!

You should give a look at Alexandre Dumas books, Maurice Druon also. They are a new generation books on this subject which are quite interesting, such as: Dark Angels, Sandra Gulland (her Josephine´s trilogy is wonderful!!), Rosalind Laker and Catherine Delors recent books.

And Marie Antoinette biography by Antonia Fraser

I second the Marie Antoinette biography by Antonia Fraser! It's non-fiction, but it reads like a novel. I have enjoyed all of the Fraser non-fiction books I've read.

thanks i will check those out!

One by Diane Haeger called The Courtesan that is about Diane de Portiers, Henri II, and Catherine de Medici.

i actually found that one on someones booklist... is it any good? i will check it out ,thanks

Marci, I remember enjoying it when I read The Courtesan; I enjoy Hager as a writer.

A few others I've noted related to French royalty:

Les Rois Maudits (The Accursed Kings)
The Iron King (Philippe the Fair)
The Strangled Queen (Louis X)
The Poisoned Crown (Louis X)
The Royal Succession (Louis X)
The She-Wolf of France (Isabella and
Mortimer)
The Lily and The Lion (Edward III, Philip IV)
Quand un Roi Perd la France (Jean)
Ardent Infidels
Maurice Druon

Ooohh, great titles everyone! I'm excited to see a book about Isabella and Mortimer - I've been wanting to read a book about her!

thnaks for all the great titles...this will keep me very busy!lol

Here are some novels related to Catherine de Medici, who I suppose qualifies as either French or Italian nobility.

Madame Serpent
Italian Woman
Queen Jezebel
Jean Plaidy

The Master of All Desires
Judith Merkle Riley

The Stars Dispose
The Stars Compel
Michaela Roessner

The Dark Queen
The Courtesan
Susan Carroll

Last of the Valois
Paris is Worth a Mass
The Florentine Woman
Hugh Ross Williamson

Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de’ Medici
Carolyn Meyer

A few I have read related to Louis XV.

Louis the Well-Beloved
The Road to Compiègne
Jean Plaidy

Royal Merry-Go-Round
F. W. Kenyon

Madame du Barry (1743-1793)
Jean Plaidy

I agree with Jenna. "The Accursed Kings" series by Druon is a wonderful read. I tore through the whole thing when I was a kid. It has IMO the most endearing villain - Robert d'Artois - in all of historical fiction.

On a more literary level, "The Princess de Cleves" by Madame de Lafayette. Considered the first novel written in the French language, and one of the most beautiful. Also a historical set at the court of Henri II during the Renaissance.

I don't really know much about French historical fiction, besides Marie Antionette. I've only read a Royal Diary book on her, so I'll try some of these books as well!

25) 4th of July
26) The Body Farm
27) The Dogs Who Found Me
28) I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
29) 5th Horsemen
30) Honeymoon
31) The 6th Target
32) 7th Heaven
33) The Quickie
34) Beach Road
35) The Alchemist
36) Great Exptations
37) You've Been Warned
38) Bleeding Hearts
39) In the Company of the Courtesan
40) When the Wind Blows
41) The Lake House
42) Knots & Crosses
43) Hide & Seek
44) Duchess
45) The Pearl
46) Devil in the White City
47) A Simple Plan
48) The Great Gatsby
49) Along Came a Spider
50) Kiss The Girls
51) The Worst Hard Time
52) The Jane Austen Book Club
53) Dubliners
54) Tooth and Nail
55) The Other Side of Midnight
56) Rage of Angels
57) Bloodline

Antoine, I agree on "L'Alle du Roi." Great historical fiction.
I saw there is a (non-fiction) bio of Madame de Maintenon being published (after quite a flack because the author used the fake Journal of Louis XIV as a source!) and the reviews say it's dull. How can you make such a life dull?

Are there any historical fiction books about King Francis I. I know he is mentioned in alot of the England based books, but I am having a hard time finding one about him.

Otherwise, is my best bet, just finding one that starts in the early life of Catherine Medici??

For general French historical fiction, I highly reccomend Maurice Druon (the Humphrey Hare translation seems quite good).

For French biography that reads like historical fiction, look for Nancy Mitford's books on Versailles, Louis XIV and Madame Pompadour. Mitford was not a historian, but she was a vastly entertaining writer; just take what you read with a few grains of salt.

As to Francis (Francois) I, Wikipedia mentions a 1950 novel by Samuel Shellabarger titled _The King's Cavalier_ which you might be able to find at a library. (Well, all of these you might have to go to a library for; I tend towards older books!)

Thanks Cera!!

You're quite welcome! I may have to look for the Shellabarger book myself, when I get through my current pile of books.

All of you are an amazing resource. I don't know how I'll be able to read all of these great suggestions. I've been eyeing Jean Plaidy for a long while and it seems that she is an authority on historical fiction. I'm adding her to my long list.

The Moneyman by Thomas Costain deals with Jacques Coeur, the royal financier of Charles, the Well Served, dauphin at the time of Joan of Arc, and Charles' mistress Agnes Sorel.

Lawrence Schoonover is the author of The Spider King about Louis XI.

I have The Spider King, but I haven't had a chance to read it.

Ha ha, I originally called this group the Jean Plaidy Group, and then I realized I should probably broaden the group's scope so more people would join. I never expected it to grow like it did though! I absolutely agree with Angie - you all are an amazing resource!

I agree with Laura (thanks for the invite BTW), Dumas is a great source for reading about the French Monarchy. Have't read all of them yet (the Valois series is next up), but the Musketeer series finishes up in a great retelling of the court of Louis XIV and I've recently finished his series on the French Revolution (warning -- there are some very bad translations that were recently published I recommend finding the PC Collier edition from the early 1900's.)

The Musketeer series in order,
The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years After
The Vicomte de Bragelonne
Louis de la Vallierrie (sp?)
The Man in the Iron Mask

The French Revolution series,
Joseph Balsamo
Memoirs of a Physician
The Queen's Necklance
Taking the Bastile
The Countess de Charny
The Knight of the Maison Rouge

Note, I didn't find out until after the series that Dumas wrote Knight of the Maison Rouge first and was then contracted to write a series of books leading up to the last book, and his characters from the first book are not in the last in the series.

Et alors, what great suggestions here!! It is wonderful to know that others share my love of French history. Anybody have some tips on non-Louis XIV nonfiction or fiction set in the 17th century? (Is that even possible?)

All the best, Holly
http://wondersandmarvels.blogspot.com
(which has plenty of French historical references, by the way!)

I checked your blog, Holly, and loved it! Will add it to my blogroll. Gustave Dore is mid-19th century. A great illustrator anyway.
And no, I can't think of 17th century French-themed HF without Louis XIV. Sorry, he has totally kudzued (is this a verb?) the field.

Yikes--Catherine, thanks for catching the typo! I love the new verb. Kudzued is right!

Antoine,

It's so nice to meet another Mitford fan! Yes, while living in France during the 50s & 60s she wrote four non-fiction books:

Madame Pompadour 1954
Voltaire in Love 1957
The Sun King 1966
Frederick the Great 1970

I've started Madame Pompadour and it's delicious. Witty and intelligent, like most of her writing about her family.

58)Morning, Noon and Night
59)Pride & Prejudice
60)The Best Laid Plans
61)Twilight
62)New Moon
63)Eclipse (didn't finish)
63)Jack & Jill
64)Cat & Mouse
65)True Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief
66)Such a Pretty Fat
67)Little Earthquakes
68)Sweet Ruin
69)Innocent Traitor
70)The Other Queen
71)Pop Goes the Weasel

Any suggestions of books about the entire period of the Medicis?

Susan C wrote: "Any suggestions of books about the entire period of the Medicis?"

Jean Plaidy has a trilogy about Catherine which is pretty decent, and one of the upcoming group reads (Murder of a Medici Princess) deals with some Medicis (not sure which ones), but unfortunately I don't know of any that cover a broader period.

I just bought Murder of a Medici Princess. I din't know it was an upcoming group read. That makes it even better.

Susan C wrote: "I just bought Murder of a Medici Princess. I din't know it was an upcoming group read. That makes it even better."

Susan, I enjoyed it, but the focus on the Medici in it is Italy and not France. Haven't said much here as it's a group read. Just be advised it is non-fiction.

Misfit wrote: "Susan C wrote: "I just bought Murder of a Medici Princess. I din't know it was an upcoming group read. That makes it even better."

Susan, I enjoyed it, but the focus on the Medici in it is Ital..."

Thanks for the heads-up. Catherine of Medici is that France?

Susan, yes she is. If you can handle Dumas she in his Queen Margot, or, Marguerite de Valois and delightfully deliciously bad. The first 1/3 or so is really hard to get into and I would not recommend it for a first time Dumas reader.

There's also

The Serpent and the Moon Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King which is about Catherine and Diane although reviews are very mixed. I bought it just for fun but I'm not sure when I'm going to read it.

Coming out very soon is The Devil's Queen A Novel of Catherine de Medici. I'm waiting for it to come in at the library. I really haven't heard much word on the street about it yet.

The Devil's Queen sound's good let me know if you hear anything.

Thanks

Susan C wrote: "Any suggestions of books about the entire period of the Medicis?"



The House of Medici Its Rise and Fall is a fantastic non-fiction read that covers the entire Medici era. It's not a heavy fact by fact book either. It reads very well.

Thank you Tisha! I checked out the reviews on Amazon and since the majority agreed with you, I ordered it from Alibris. It looks like it's going to be a great background book, I really appreciate the suggestion.

Susan C wrote: "The Devil's Queen sound's good let me know if you hear anything.

Thanks"

you can read a couple of excerpts here:

http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/...

Yes, I read The House of Medici earlier this year and enjoyed it.

I have Jean Plaidy's French Revolution trilogy at home that I am looking forward to reading. It's about the lead up to the revolution and also Marie Antoinette. Sara do you plan on reading them anytime soon?

I have Jean Plaidy's French Revolution trilogy at home that I am looking forward to reading. It's about the lead up to the revolution and also Marie Antoinette. Sara do you plan on reading them anytime soon?

I also have them Boof. They look good but I'm still in the 1100's in my European Royalty study.

I'm reading The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy.

I'm reading Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette The Journey - this is excellent.