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  <title><![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]></description>
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        <name><![CDATA[Myriam Cyr]]></name>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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  <average_rating>4.00</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called Portuguese Letters, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a chaotic and war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters the nun had written when the officer was forced to return to France. The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. As remarkable as the letters are, they were rivaled by the mystery that surrounds them: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. The consensus was that no woman could write words of such stunning truth and beauty. Now, through meticulous research, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love. While this tale is infamous throughout Europe, it is fresh to American readers, and Myriam Cyr brings us the extraordinary letters; the fraught, dangerous, complex nature of this tumultuous period; and the fascinating lives of these real-life lovers in rich historical detail.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Oct 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Oct 11 12:38:21 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 11 20:11:55 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I don't know where to begin. Short book you can finish in one setting. It should have been titled &quot;I Hate You, Don't Leave Me&quot;. It is NOT a mystery and NOT about love. This is a good history book. Then it includes the 5 supposedly authentic &quot;love&quot; letters written by the nun Maria...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74179363">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74179363]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74179363]]></link>
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      <review>
  <id>46430788</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Verity]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>38</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called Portuguese Letters, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a chaotic and war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters the nun had written when the officer was forced to return to France. The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. As remarkable as the letters are, they were rivaled by the mystery that surrounds them: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. The consensus was that no woman could write words of such stunning truth and beauty. Now, through meticulous research, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love. While this tale is infamous throughout Europe, it is fresh to American readers, and Myriam Cyr brings us the extraordinary letters; the fraught, dangerous, complex nature of this tumultuous period; and the fascinating lives of these real-life lovers in rich historical detail.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Feb 15 12:29:10 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Feb 15 12:29:10 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I initially picked up the book thinking it would have an introduction covering the background and history of the period surrounding the letters, with the majority of the text being the actually letters. Much to my surprise, it was quite the reverse. The history of the period and mystery surrounding ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46430788">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46430788]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46430788]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>33817724</id>
    <user>
    <id>614282</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Adleen]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Canada]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">6</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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  <average_rating>3.22</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>32</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Sep 20 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Sep 25 10:11:03 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Sep 25 10:18:37 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[What I learned from this book, in 200 words or fewer:<br/><br/>Once more the Fergus bookstore provides, this time with a tome on Les lettrs portugaises, which I'd heard about but never actually read. Anyways, this is Cyr's attempt to solve the mystery of the letters' original authorship. It's not ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33817724">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33817724]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33817724]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>81010220</id>
    <user>
    <id>900632</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Alexandra]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">6</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/373040.Letters_of_a_Portuguese_Nun_Uncovering_the_Mystery_Behind_a_17th_Century_Forbidden_Love</link>
  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>38</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 14 15:22:56 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 14 15:23:50 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[this was such a fanstastic read. I found it so interesting. A good film maker could make this one heck of a romantic movie]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81010220]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81010220]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>819083</id>
    <user>
    <id>64903</id>
    <name><![CDATA[mary]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[New York, NY]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64903-mary]]></link>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">6</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174254629m/373040.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174254629s/373040.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>38</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 21 07:07:15 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 16 18:16:24 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[i wanted this to be a heartwrenching tale of unrequited love that only a lovesick nun could tell.  instead there was a lot of backstory about the nun and her lover that had more to do with the war than their forbidden relationship.  it was, at best, a &quot;nice&quot; account of a scandalous affair ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/819083">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/819083]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/819083]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>8935278</id>
    <user>
    <id>598210</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sue]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Allen Park, MI]]></location>
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  <isbn>1401360165</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781401360160</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">6</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174254629m/373040.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174254629s/373040.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/373040.Letters_of_a_Portuguese_Nun_Uncovering_the_Mystery_Behind_a_17th_Century_Forbidden_Love</link>
  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>38</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Nov 10 14:15:03 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Nov 10 14:15:51 -0800 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I found the book very interesting, but can say it's probably not for everyone.  The mystique built up around the letters is far more intriguing than the actual content of the letters.  Basically, when I read them my thought was &quot;OK, this guy dumped you, get over it!&quot;.  Still, the history i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8935278">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8935278]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8935278]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>764774</id>
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    <id>17576</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jenna]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Naples, FL]]></location>
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>38</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[DaVinci Code fans]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 17 14:48:18 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Apr 17 14:49:30 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Not exactly what I was expecting, I thought it was going to be more like the actual letters. Instead author paints an interesting story about who this nun could have been and what the motives behind the letters were. Great read, quick and interesting]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/764774]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/764774]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>58739057</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called Portuguese Letters, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a chaotic and war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters the nun had written when the officer was forced to return to France. The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. As remarkable as the letters are, they were rivaled by the mystery that surrounds them: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. The consensus was that no woman could write words of such stunning truth and beauty. Now, through meticulous research, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love. While this tale is infamous throughout Europe, it is fresh to American readers, and Myriam Cyr brings us the extraordinary letters; the fraught, dangerous, complex nature of this tumultuous period; and the fascinating lives of these real-life lovers in rich historical detail.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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    <body><![CDATA[Really interesting narrative history ... author makes a compelling argument for the identity of the nun, and the nun's love letters are very moving.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[tenderly touching.  a lot of lead up to the letters.  however, i didn't mind the historical info a bit.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called Portuguese Letters, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a chaotic and war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters the nun had written when the officer was forced to return to France. The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. As remarkable as the letters are, they were rivaled by the mystery that surrounds them: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. The consensus was that no woman could write words of such stunning truth and beauty. Now, through meticulous research, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love. While this tale is infamous throughout Europe, it is fresh to American readers, and Myriam Cyr brings us the extraordinary letters; the fraught, dangerous, complex nature of this tumultuous period; and the fascinating lives of these real-life lovers in rich historical detail.]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <date_added>Sat May 30 20:54:59 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat May 30 20:54:59 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Mariana Alcoforado fascinates me! I wish there were more books about her.  ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57913052]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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  <average_rating>3.34</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
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  <date_added>Mon Dec 21 18:12:11 -0800 2009</date_added>
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called Portuguese Letters, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a chaotic and war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters the nun had written when the officer was forced to return to France. The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. As remarkable as the letters are, they were rivaled by the mystery that surrounds them: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. The consensus was that no woman could write words of such stunning truth and beauty. Now, through meticulous research, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love. While this tale is infamous throughout Europe, it is fresh to American readers, and Myriam Cyr brings us the extraordinary letters; the fraught, dangerous, complex nature of this tumultuous period; and the fascinating lives of these real-life lovers in rich historical detail.]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 -0800 2006</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Dec 05 20:33:38 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Dec 05 20:34:01 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
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  <date_added>Mon Nov 23 18:52:49 -0800 2009</date_added>
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    <![CDATA[Letters of a Portuguese Nun: Uncovering the Mystery Behind a 17th Century Forbidden Love]]>
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    <![CDATA[In 1669, a Parisian bookseller published a slim volume called <em>Portuguese Letters</em>, which unveiled a love affair between a young Portuguese nun and a French officer that had occurred a few years earlier during a war-torn period in Portugal. The book contained passionate love letters from the nun when the officer was forced to return to France.    <p>The letters took Paris by storm. They spoke of love in a manner so direct, so precise, and so raw, they sent shivers of recognition through the sophisticated stratums of polite society. Equally remarkable was the mystery that surrounds the letters: the author was unknown, and most people assumed they were the fictional product of a French aristocrat. Now, Myriam Cyr persuasively makes the case that the nun, Mariana Alcoforado, did indeed write the letters, and her story is one of the most moving in the history of forbidden love.</p>]]>
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