false 70287 21 Since completing high school history, few of us have managed to keep straight the details of the French Revolution. Beyond suggestions of eating cake and the effectiveness of the guillotine, this sordid time period has remained--for many--somewhat obscure. Now, through the novel <I>The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.</I>, not only do we learn of the many differences between Robespierre and Rousseau, but we gain insight into the marriage of one of history's greatest political couples: Napoleon and Josephine.<p> Standing beside the charismatic Napoleon, Josephine's own importance and fascinating history have often been overshadowed. In a fictionalized account of Josephine's diaries and her correspondence, author Sandra Gulland has shed light on Josephine's pre-Napoleon life. This, the first of three books about Josephine, covers her childhood in Martinique, her first marriage, the birth of her children, her life during the revolution, and her marriage to Napoleon.<p> A poor Creole outsider as well as a rising socialite, Josephine experienced both the horrors of imprisonment and the privilege of connections. Utilizing these different perspectives, Gulland takes special care to bring forth the reality of life in late 18th-century France. Though she can only theorize on Josephine's emotions and desires, Gulland's talented writing and the restrained use of footnotes keep the reader properly informed on pertinent details, whether they be obscure political events or voodoo beliefs. While professional historians may bristle at the artistic license Gulland employs, most readers will find her novel a satisfying and engaging introduction to this dramatic period. <I>--Nancy R.E. O'Brien</I> 2901163 book 1995 The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. total:1037|5:313|4:463|3:217|2:42|1:2| 1037 4154 1509 192 5 2 false false Thu Feb 07 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 23 21:30:32 -0800 2008 Thu Feb 07 16:17:34 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 2 false false Wed Feb 06 14:39:08 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 06 14:41:48 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Feb 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 02 11:51:24 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 02 12:06:21 -0800 2009 Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List.

This was a quick read due to the diary form. And I was fascinated (and horrified) by the background of the Reign of Terror (which makes for goo...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jul 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 19 07:11:09 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 22 16:50:32 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Apr 03 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 29 18:03:16 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 03 09:32:55 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri May 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 18 16:26:02 -0700 2009 Mon May 18 16:27:07 -0700 2009 Well, it was...and then it wasn't and in the end I was up into the wee hours of the night following the footsteps a little C...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Oct 03 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Sep 24 23:10:43 -0700 2009 Sat Oct 03 22:37:28 -0700 2009
Gulland has created an ex...more...]]> 4 1 false false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Apr 02 18:24:36 -0700 2007 Fri Apr 13 21:13:12 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun May 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 29 13:07:49 -0700 2009 Sun May 24 14:19:40 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Sep 21 09:29:37 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 09:33:44 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue May 12 07:34:02 -0700 2009 Tue May 12 07:43:22 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Feb 13 09:28:55 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 13 09:37:08 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false true Tue Oct 28 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Nov 20 00:16:42 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 02 12:28:01 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jun 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 26 12:40:11 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 08 17:21:11 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 15 09:37:18 -0800 2007 Sun Jan 27 15:16:50 -0800 2008 The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. is a very interesting and captivating book. It begins during Josephine's childhood on the island ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 06 06:51:36 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 06 06:53:35 -0800 2009
It's just hard to get...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 20 23:40:28 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 20 23:43:45 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 true false Fri Apr 04 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Mar 12 10:35:21 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 07 10:47:37 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 0 false false Tue Feb 17 20:05:19 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 18 16:29:46 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Sep 14 11:58:07 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 11:59:55 -0700 2009 more...]]>