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386 ratings, 3.54 average rating, 41 reviews
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published
August 26th 2003
by Penguin Classics
binding
Paperback, 288 pages
isbn
0140448926
(isbn13: 9780140448924)
description
Cornelius von Baerle lives only to cultivate the elusive black tulip and win a magnificent prize for its creation. But when his powerful godfather is ...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 581)
i've read this several times. i love the complexity of it, as well as it's simplicity.
if you are into love stories - this has a great one, of loyalty, devotion, and self-sacrifice.
if you are into studies of human nature - here too. it explores mob-mentality, politics, truth as it relates to justice, aspirations of power and the willingness to achieve that end regardless of the cost to others. and underlying everything the complete destructive capacity of jealousy. the danger of covetou...more
if you are into love stories - this has a great one, of loyalty, devotion, and self-sacrifice.
if you are into studies of human nature - here too. it explores mob-mentality, politics, truth as it relates to justice, aspirations of power and the willingness to achieve that end regardless of the cost to others. and underlying everything the complete destructive capacity of jealousy. the danger of covetou...more
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Read in July, 2007
I am finally taking the time to read The Black Tulip--my mother in law's favorite book--and surprisingly I'm enjoying it much more than I ever imagined I would! She's loaned me her childhood hardcover copy, which always make me feel like I can savor it all the more and cherish each thick, yellowed page.
Plus the story is set in Holland and centers around the trials and loves of a young tulip-fancier, so I'm hooked just on setting alone....
Plus the story is set in Holland and centers around the trials and loves of a young tulip-fancier, so I'm hooked just on setting alone....
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The year 1672.
The Netherlands (then called the Seven United Provinces).
The brothers DeWitt are slaughtered by an insane crowd in the Hague. Most of the Seven Provinces are occupied by Louis XIV's armies - the citizens are mad. They believe (in error) that the DeWitt's have sold them out.
The DeWitts between them have been the equivalent of Prime Ministers for many years.
Tulip mania reigns supreme. 10,000 guilders for a single bulb. A huge futures market in tulip bulbs.
The Prin...more
The Netherlands (then called the Seven United Provinces).
The brothers DeWitt are slaughtered by an insane crowd in the Hague. Most of the Seven Provinces are occupied by Louis XIV's armies - the citizens are mad. They believe (in error) that the DeWitt's have sold them out.
The DeWitts between them have been the equivalent of Prime Ministers for many years.
Tulip mania reigns supreme. 10,000 guilders for a single bulb. A huge futures market in tulip bulbs.
The Prin...more
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Read in September, 2008
I've been meaning to read this since last July and I finally got around to it. I liked it, I certainly didn't think it was as epic as Monte Cristo or the 3 Musketeers BUT it still was a good story. It seemed more like a short story. I think that Rosa was my favorite character. She was very much the modern woman who when her man is locked up just does it herself, very admirable. I can't say that I loved Cornelius. His love of the tulip was borderline pathological and it just seemed like he ...more
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Read in February, 2008
The story of developing a perfectly black tulip is set against the backdrop of William the Orange's ascent to position of Stadtholder (spelling?) of Holland. I have pretty much all good things to say of it. The one bit I found a little strange was that William the Orange grows from crafting the murder of two innocent men, to feeling remorse at the imprisonment of a third. Need to study history on that one! From other books peripherally related to William the Orange (Lorna Doone, Micah Cla...more
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Read in January, 2008
Enjoyable book but the fact that it took me a week and a half to read 130 or so pages I think says it all. After being treated to some of Dumas' other books I found this to be a bit more formulaic than his others in an uninspiring manner. Most of his books are, in one way or another, based on a tried and true formula but he brought the characters to life, made you care for them or hate them. The Black Tulip left me rather shrugging my shoulders at major incidents. I would recommend it to a r...more
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Read in November, 2004
La Tulipe Noire (The Black Tulip, org. 1850) is one of the most famous Dumas' novel. Setting in Holland about 1672, many allegories here.. a brutal murder into a tale of romantic love.
... And as he was a philosopher, and, more than that, as he was a Christian, he began to pray for the soul of his godfather, then for that of the Grand Pensionary, and at last submitted with resignation to all the sufferings which God might ordain for him ... (Cornelius de Witt - Chapter 9, The Family Cell)
... And as he was a philosopher, and, more than that, as he was a Christian, he began to pray for the soul of his godfather, then for that of the Grand Pensionary, and at last submitted with resignation to all the sufferings which God might ordain for him ... (Cornelius de Witt - Chapter 9, The Family Cell)
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Read in July, 2008
I really liked this book, I'm not big into love stories but this one felt pretty unique to me. It was clever and the naivety/innocence of the main characters was fun to see. I found myself reading most of the book in one of those voice overs that they do for shows like desparate housewives, pushing daisies, etc. There was something tongue and cheeck about some of it for me that made it a fun and quick read.
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I'm sorry that I don't understand the great Tulip fever that raged across Europe in this age. (My husband compared the Tulip industry of this age to the internet rage of the late 90's??) Besides that, I got a little tired of the botanical love triangle between Cornelius, Rosa and the star of the show - the black tulip. I definitely liked The Count of Monte Christo better, both in writing style and story.
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Read in March, 2008
I wasn't terribly impressed with this tale. The first few chapters were rough for me, having to read all of the historical footnotes just to figure out the setting and premise of the book. I guess it was a nice, "sweet" little love story. I felt that there wasn't enough substance to the plot or the characters. I also expected a few twists and turns, but was disappointed by the predictability of it all.
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A suberbly well-crafted "romantic" (in the artistic sense) story, incredibly suspenseful. Great plot, twist and turns, love triangle, good vs. evil, social commentary, lessons on horticulture -- this book has it all. Reminded me of the great classic Hitchock films. Would make a good movie, even if some of the histrionic pinings and lovesick self-tortur by the hero are a little overboard and corny.
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Read in March, 2008
I'm reading a simplified version which has been translated into Chinese. It has the English on the left hand page, and the Chinese on the right. I can't understand all of it, but I can understand enough that I happily skip over the characters I don't know and then just check the English opposite. There are often whole (easy) sentences that I can translate precisely, which is fun.
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Read in August, 2008
I really enjoyed this one. Dumas loves the themes of one accused who is innocent...the power of learning...the poison of envy. The story revolves around a man who spends much of his time trying to make a fully black tulip in order to win a 100,000 guilder prize. His envious neighbor plots to destroy him and take the tulip as his own. The story really brings Holland to life.
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Read in July, 2006
I love the way that Alexandre Dumas weaves together so manny plot elements in this book. All his books are amazing! He keeps you guessing but gives you clues as to where things will end up. I really like historical fiction like this too since I feel like I get just a little glimpse of what life may have been like for the French at this time in history.
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Read in May, 2008
This is not The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers, but it's still an enjoyable piece of historical literature. It's only 200 pages, and they fly by as the protagonist cultivates both a romance and a tulip while imprisoned for a crime his jealous neighbor framed him for (okay, maybe it's Monte Cristo Lite).
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I am pretty sure this was the book I read in college after taking up horticulture as a major. I really liked it which was huge, because I was not much of a reader back then. My professor John Griffin recommended it.
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This is my favorite book. It is Dumas cliff-hanger and it is a shorter book that can be easily finished within a week or two.
I now have 5 black tulips planted in my garden just in case tulips are used for money.
I now have 5 black tulips planted in my garden just in case tulips are used for money.
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Read in May, 2008
The first several chapters took a long time to get through for various reasons. There is a lot of history and some gore. After that, it is a nice mystery romance set in the 1600's. I enjoyed the book.
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I read this for my ward book group. It's not nearly as good as the count of monte cristo, but its an easier read. Good characters a little love and some history.
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