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Memoirs of the Court of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, Complete Being the Historic Memoirs of Madam Campan, First Lady in Waiting to the Queen
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384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1910
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 15, 2020
Nem tão frívola como alguns a julgaram, nem tão perfeita como a sua camareira a tenta expor.
O livro é bastante detalhado, até demasiado, mas peca por excessiva benevolência, fruto da profunda admiração que Madame Campan dedicava aos seus soberanos.
O livro é bastante detalhado, até demasiado, mas peca por excessiva benevolência, fruto da profunda admiração que Madame Campan dedicava aos seus soberanos.
June 22, 2012
I needed to take a full 10 steps back from this book to realize how much I truly enjoyed it. At first the page count (1056) on my nook truly dissuaded me--after all I'm trying to read 50 books here. However, the book must be written in a font you can read from space, as I could do one page on my nook and it would count as four in real life.
But back to the book.
JLH Campan was a court reader. This is actually exactly what it sounds like. She read aloud to the Queen, while Marie Antoinette knitted/embroidered/what not. She was in the inner circle and greatly trusted by the royal family. She was also there during the attack on Versailles and got her petticoats drenched in blood during the attack on the Tuileries.
As with any memoirs, Madame Campan has bias. She adored the Queen, the King, and the royal family. In her mind, there is nothing MA did wrong...ever. I think I saw one mention of Count Axel Fersen, who almost certainly was MA's lover. She never questions MA's spending, which although not as bad as her critics was certainly excessive. She failed to notice MA's flaws, or felt the need to white wash them in light of how blackened her name already was.
Madame Campan is beyond all this a lovely story teller. She gives a inside view of the court, it's inhabitants, and the way it operated. Her affection, which led to the bias, is heart felt. You can't help but see MA in a wash of forgiving light. MA obviously was able to endear herself strongly to those who knew her, and that can't be a bad thing. After all, I would hope that if a friend of mine wrote memoirs of me, they would leave out some stuff too.
The inside look at the court is intriguing and filled with detailed accounts and interesting stories. I would encourage those with an interest in the French revolution to read it, but to read less biased sources as well.
But back to the book.
JLH Campan was a court reader. This is actually exactly what it sounds like. She read aloud to the Queen, while Marie Antoinette knitted/embroidered/what not. She was in the inner circle and greatly trusted by the royal family. She was also there during the attack on Versailles and got her petticoats drenched in blood during the attack on the Tuileries.
As with any memoirs, Madame Campan has bias. She adored the Queen, the King, and the royal family. In her mind, there is nothing MA did wrong...ever. I think I saw one mention of Count Axel Fersen, who almost certainly was MA's lover. She never questions MA's spending, which although not as bad as her critics was certainly excessive. She failed to notice MA's flaws, or felt the need to white wash them in light of how blackened her name already was.
Madame Campan is beyond all this a lovely story teller. She gives a inside view of the court, it's inhabitants, and the way it operated. Her affection, which led to the bias, is heart felt. You can't help but see MA in a wash of forgiving light. MA obviously was able to endear herself strongly to those who knew her, and that can't be a bad thing. After all, I would hope that if a friend of mine wrote memoirs of me, they would leave out some stuff too.
The inside look at the court is intriguing and filled with detailed accounts and interesting stories. I would encourage those with an interest in the French revolution to read it, but to read less biased sources as well.
April 14, 2020
Madame Campan's eyewitness account of life in the service of Marie Antoinette makes fascinating reading. She is not entirely uncritical of her royal mistress, but mainly sympathetic towards her, and it is easy to see through her writings that in many respects marie Antoinette was maligned - she was not nearly as extravagent as she has often been accused of being for instance. Madame Campan wrote this memoir in the reign of Napoleon, so she had nothing particular to gain by portraying Marie Antoinette favourably, and I think her account is a truthful one. Anyone interested in French history, and particularly in Marie Antoinette, should find this of great interest.
January 4, 2021
Um precioso retrato da corte de Maria Antonieta pelos olhos de alguém que a serviu de perto e fielmente até aos momentos mais duros da revolução, tendo sobrevivido para nos contar o que aconteceu e tentar limpar a imagem dessa tão incompreendida rainha. Esta é uma fonte essencial para conhecer Maria Antonieta, a mulher por trás de tantas lendas, e a França do seu tempo.
Sendo uma memória tão antiga temi que se tornasse aborrecida ou seca, mas Madame de Campan é uma boa narradora, inteligente, crítica e verdadeiramente desejosa de, com a sua narrativa, prestar um serviço útil à posteridade. Embora saibamos que o seu olhar sobre os acontecimentos é sempre um pouco enviesado pela sua posição e proximidade com a rainha, sobretudo quando fala de pessoas que não lhe são simpáticas, Madame de Campan esforçar-se por se manter imparcial. Louva e lamenta muito a sua defunta senhora, maioritariamente culpando outros pelas suas más decisões, mas não deixa de censurá-la a certos pontos, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à ligeireza com que ignorava a etiqueta francesa. Nem poupa críticas ao próprio Luís XVI, que descreve como um homem virtuoso e justo, desejoso do amor do povo, mas fraco, tímido em demasia, sem carisma e destituído de qualquer virtude própria de um rei absoluto. No entanto, não crítica por criticar, fundamenta o que diz e cita testemunhas além de si própria. É até algo desapaixonada, e não se deixa cair na pieguice ou nas descrições gratuitas da violência revolucionária. Recordar outros tempos em que se foi feliz e depois tudo nos foi arrebatado, pessoas que amámos e que morreram horrorosamente não deve ser fácil. Certamente haverá muito que falta, muito mais que se quer saber. A narrativa não é (nem pretende ser) exaustiva, mas sim focada na vida privada da rainha. Felizmente, a documentação abunda para a complementar.
Já queria ler isto há muito, mas achava que teria de o fazer em francês, por isso fiquei bastante surpreendida quando descobri esta edição. Apesar de a quantidade de gralhas ir aumentando à medida que me aproximava do fim, esta não deixa de ser uma boa edição, repleta de notas que ajudarão os menos iniciados na corte de França a orientarem-se e explicam algumas inexactidões da autora. Podia, talvez, ter dado mais alguns dados biográficos para complementar a biografia que Madame Campan traça de si própria, informando-nos, por exemplo, do que lhe aconteceu depois e sobre se tudo o que ela narra sobre a sua corajosa e fiel conduta é, efectivamente, assim. Porque, se assim é, Madame de Campan foi certamente uma mulher admirável.
As anedotas finais são um pouco chatas e repetem, por vezes, coisas ditas anteriormente. Não sei se acompanhavam originalmente as memórias mas se assim foi, mereciam ter sido integradas na narrativa pela autora...
Sendo uma memória tão antiga temi que se tornasse aborrecida ou seca, mas Madame de Campan é uma boa narradora, inteligente, crítica e verdadeiramente desejosa de, com a sua narrativa, prestar um serviço útil à posteridade. Embora saibamos que o seu olhar sobre os acontecimentos é sempre um pouco enviesado pela sua posição e proximidade com a rainha, sobretudo quando fala de pessoas que não lhe são simpáticas, Madame de Campan esforçar-se por se manter imparcial. Louva e lamenta muito a sua defunta senhora, maioritariamente culpando outros pelas suas más decisões, mas não deixa de censurá-la a certos pontos, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à ligeireza com que ignorava a etiqueta francesa. Nem poupa críticas ao próprio Luís XVI, que descreve como um homem virtuoso e justo, desejoso do amor do povo, mas fraco, tímido em demasia, sem carisma e destituído de qualquer virtude própria de um rei absoluto. No entanto, não crítica por criticar, fundamenta o que diz e cita testemunhas além de si própria. É até algo desapaixonada, e não se deixa cair na pieguice ou nas descrições gratuitas da violência revolucionária. Recordar outros tempos em que se foi feliz e depois tudo nos foi arrebatado, pessoas que amámos e que morreram horrorosamente não deve ser fácil. Certamente haverá muito que falta, muito mais que se quer saber. A narrativa não é (nem pretende ser) exaustiva, mas sim focada na vida privada da rainha. Felizmente, a documentação abunda para a complementar.
Já queria ler isto há muito, mas achava que teria de o fazer em francês, por isso fiquei bastante surpreendida quando descobri esta edição. Apesar de a quantidade de gralhas ir aumentando à medida que me aproximava do fim, esta não deixa de ser uma boa edição, repleta de notas que ajudarão os menos iniciados na corte de França a orientarem-se e explicam algumas inexactidões da autora. Podia, talvez, ter dado mais alguns dados biográficos para complementar a biografia que Madame Campan traça de si própria, informando-nos, por exemplo, do que lhe aconteceu depois e sobre se tudo o que ela narra sobre a sua corajosa e fiel conduta é, efectivamente, assim. Porque, se assim é, Madame de Campan foi certamente uma mulher admirável.
As anedotas finais são um pouco chatas e repetem, por vezes, coisas ditas anteriormente. Não sei se acompanhavam originalmente as memórias mas se assim foi, mereciam ter sido integradas na narrativa pela autora...
April 9, 2011
Madame Campan was lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette for many years, almost to the end. As such, she had access to her private life, but not necessarily to her public life. In this book, she confines herself to the personal details within her province. Don't read this book for the bigger historical events. There are better sources for those. Read it for the inside views, the up-close and personal glimpses, into the lives of the queen and her family. Read it for its authenticity. It is a first-hand account by one who was there. Madame Campan was biased, of course. Don't expect a balanced view of the queen from this book. If her bias bothers you you could balance it by reading Madame Roland's version as well.
This is a very big book and not a quick read. But worth reading if the subject matter interests you enough.
This is a very big book and not a quick read. But worth reading if the subject matter interests you enough.
September 2, 2018
É realmente um excelente livro! História contada por quem a viveu e escrita de uma forma que prende e não dá vontade de parar de ler! Realmente foi um excelente trabalho de recolha de memórias da Madame de Campan e que apresenta uma Maria Antonieta que é pena ser tão "desconhecida"... Muito bom!
June 11, 2020
It is understandable that Mme Campan would present the view of the nobility and in particular a view of extreme proximity to Marie Antoinette. Her reasons for debunking so many of the notorious scandals and derogatory writings about the queen are honest. She seems a good judge of character, and she does not completely exonerate Marie Antoinette of all of the complaints against her character and behavior. But reading these memories gives a vivid understanding of the constraints of court life, of the intrigue, and especially of Marie Antoinette's reasons for having her little Trianon and Hameau. Read with Stefan Zweig and Antonia Fraser, a picture of a woman who was groomed to serve as cement between the Austrian Empire and the French, but not particularly well educated, emerges to shed light on why "L'Autrichienne" was disliked quite apart from her individual traits, and how she can be reckoned to have gone to the guillotine with admirable grace, knowing her role in history.
July 22, 2021
that was interesting! lots of history facts about our queen. toooo much details about her giving birth though… a little boring.
April 8, 2021
This was a very interesting look at court life and Marie Antoinette from the inside, and I found it truly fascinating to read. One of my French history lecturers once told me that, as British people, we would never truly understand French history because French history is so peculiar to the French, more so than any other country in Europe, and reading from this perspective was so interesting.
June 21, 2025
On clôture les chroniques de l'été avec ce très court livre des Mémoires de Mme Campan, femme de chambre et intime de Marie-Antoinette. A travers des anecdotes touchantes et merveilleusement bien (d)écrites, elle nous livre un portrait certes biaisé et enjolivé de la jeune reine mais nous la rend attachante par-delà les caricatures des révolutionnaires. Il ne s'agit pas ici de sanctifier Marie-Antoinette, dont les défauts étaient plus qu'évidents dès le début de son règne. Mais de comprendre pourquoi cette femme fascine, tant en bien qu'en mal. La révolution est faite, la monarchie est tombée plusieurs fois mais on ressent encore le besoin de brûler l'image de la dernière reine de France en 2024 (je ne vise personne, suivez mon regard 👀)
La reine n'est pas une Cléopâtre femme fatale, mécène et génie politique. Ni une charismatique matriarche à la Victoria. Ni une rebelle tragique comme Sissi. Marie-Antoinette est une adolescente sympathique, un peu gauche, désinvolte, qui aime la mode et ses copines et, il faut le dire, sacrément capricieuse. Comme toutes les ados. Mais il ne fait pas bon d'être une ado frivole à la cour de France. Protégée de M. de Choiseul, elle est perçue dès son arrivée en France comme " l'espionne autrichienne ". Ses moindres faits et gestes sont scrutés, critiqués, déformés. Des caricatures courent très vite. On est pas loin du cyberharcèlement actuel. Mal conseillée et éprise de liberté, elle commet gaffe sur gaffe contre l'étiquette étouffante (accouchement et dîners publics...). Ne voyons pas ici la souveraine mais la jeune fille : ne sommes-nous pas tous un peu Marie-Antoinette ? Des êtres fragiles et plein de défauts essayant de survivre dans un océan de normes sociales, de règles implicites (les Aspie qui me lisent se reconnaîtront) et qui, à la première gaffe, peuvent devenir les victimes d'effroyables lynchages et coups bas. A la fac, en entreprise, en famille, nous sommes tous les potentielles victimes et gaffeurs d'une machine sociale qui broie la sensibilité des faibles comme l'humanité des forts
La reine n'est pas une Cléopâtre femme fatale, mécène et génie politique. Ni une charismatique matriarche à la Victoria. Ni une rebelle tragique comme Sissi. Marie-Antoinette est une adolescente sympathique, un peu gauche, désinvolte, qui aime la mode et ses copines et, il faut le dire, sacrément capricieuse. Comme toutes les ados. Mais il ne fait pas bon d'être une ado frivole à la cour de France. Protégée de M. de Choiseul, elle est perçue dès son arrivée en France comme " l'espionne autrichienne ". Ses moindres faits et gestes sont scrutés, critiqués, déformés. Des caricatures courent très vite. On est pas loin du cyberharcèlement actuel. Mal conseillée et éprise de liberté, elle commet gaffe sur gaffe contre l'étiquette étouffante (accouchement et dîners publics...). Ne voyons pas ici la souveraine mais la jeune fille : ne sommes-nous pas tous un peu Marie-Antoinette ? Des êtres fragiles et plein de défauts essayant de survivre dans un océan de normes sociales, de règles implicites (les Aspie qui me lisent se reconnaîtront) et qui, à la première gaffe, peuvent devenir les victimes d'effroyables lynchages et coups bas. A la fac, en entreprise, en famille, nous sommes tous les potentielles victimes et gaffeurs d'une machine sociale qui broie la sensibilité des faibles comme l'humanité des forts
December 26, 2021
I picked up this book on a whim. I thought I'd probably read about 100 pages and put it down. However, I found the entire story so compelling. Like the movie Titanic, we all know the ending is not good. Madam Campan relates her experiences in the court with Marie Antoinette. She paints a picture which is very different from what vague historical anecdotes have. I felt a real sense of sorrow for Marie Antoinette. She came to the court at 15 (15!) and was immediately surrounded by enemies. The French public was obsessed with her. They both adored and hated her. It was like being a celebrity today, except she was not permitted to leave the court or change anything around her. She also was subjected to a male chauvinist world where any time she showed the least interest in politics or provided any vague input to the decisions of court policy she was castigated by the press and public. The editor often provides notes which mostly agree with Madame Campan's recollections, perhaps changing the name of someone or the date. So, I have to believe that much of the content of this biographic history is accurate. It's a tragic story. The last 100 pages are hard to read. Honestly, I was never a Francophile, but this book really reduced my opinion of France and French people. Then again, England at this time period was not great either.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes historical biographies. I will warn you that it mentions a lot of notable people in France and Austria which you might not know, so you'll be Googling names and places often. There is a list of names and explanations at the end (I wish I had know about it before I finished reading!), which might help too.
Also, the book was clearly optically scanned, as there are a few typos and more than a few places where the phrase "Full Size" appears randomly between paragraphs. So, it was not proofread after converting to an eBook.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes historical biographies. I will warn you that it mentions a lot of notable people in France and Austria which you might not know, so you'll be Googling names and places often. There is a list of names and explanations at the end (I wish I had know about it before I finished reading!), which might help too.
Also, the book was clearly optically scanned, as there are a few typos and more than a few places where the phrase "Full Size" appears randomly between paragraphs. So, it was not proofread after converting to an eBook.
August 4, 2017
Vizi (opportunamente nascosti dall'autrice) e virtù (esagerate) della Reine.
se non fosse per l'ordine logico con cui sono proposti eventi, aneddoti e fatti della vita di Maria Antonietta, presentati con una logica decisamente opinabile, sarebbe stata una lettura decisamente più piacevole, ma il fatto che il lettore non riesca a seguire il filo del discorso di Madame Campan rende questo libro un po' sconclusionato.
Non è un saggio perchè non ne ha la struttura, ma allo stesso tempo non è una narrazione cronologica di episodi della vita della Reine: sebbene Madame Campane l'abbia scritto proprio in questo modo (di getto?) forse con una riveduta sarebbe sembrato molto meglio.
Per quanto riguarda i contenuti, invece, alcuni sono davvero succulenti, ma la nostra scrittrice è una donna raffinata e fedele alla Regina che non si sofferma sugli scandaletti da rotocalco (neanche un accenno a Fersen) quanto piuttosto sulla meticolosa annotazione di gesti ed esperienze, come ci si aspetta da una insegnante di buone maniere quale, alla fine, è diventata.
Libro esemplificativo di condotta (quasi) ineccepibile per ammaestrare le sue allieve? Chissà... certo è che tra vizi e virtù il volume è decisamente di parte.
se non fosse per l'ordine logico con cui sono proposti eventi, aneddoti e fatti della vita di Maria Antonietta, presentati con una logica decisamente opinabile, sarebbe stata una lettura decisamente più piacevole, ma il fatto che il lettore non riesca a seguire il filo del discorso di Madame Campan rende questo libro un po' sconclusionato.
Non è un saggio perchè non ne ha la struttura, ma allo stesso tempo non è una narrazione cronologica di episodi della vita della Reine: sebbene Madame Campane l'abbia scritto proprio in questo modo (di getto?) forse con una riveduta sarebbe sembrato molto meglio.
Per quanto riguarda i contenuti, invece, alcuni sono davvero succulenti, ma la nostra scrittrice è una donna raffinata e fedele alla Regina che non si sofferma sugli scandaletti da rotocalco (neanche un accenno a Fersen) quanto piuttosto sulla meticolosa annotazione di gesti ed esperienze, come ci si aspetta da una insegnante di buone maniere quale, alla fine, è diventata.
Libro esemplificativo di condotta (quasi) ineccepibile per ammaestrare le sue allieve? Chissà... certo è che tra vizi e virtù il volume è decisamente di parte.
December 30, 2023
Campan, First Lady of the Bedchamber for Marie Antoinette, tells of life at Versailles, beginning with the teenage queen-to-be’s arrival in France and carrying through her imprisonment in the Tower of the Temple during the French Revolution. Because Campan assumes the reader’s knowledge of all the players— royals, aristocrats, politicians and revolutionaries—, I found myself conducting side research in order to better understand what was happening.
There is a seemingly never-ending series of intrigues, scandals, and power plays that Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI must navigate; Campan is a loyalist to the end and portrays the king and queen as much-maligned and misused as she covers these events (the famed controversy of the diamond necklace, for example). It is clear that Marie Antoinette was a target of gossip and slander right from the start, however complicit she was in spending and extravagances, and the reader will feel empathy for her, especially after her imprisonment, when the entire royal family, children included, suffered deprivations and, with the exception of her daughter, met a tragic demise.
All in all, a fascinating read.
There is a seemingly never-ending series of intrigues, scandals, and power plays that Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI must navigate; Campan is a loyalist to the end and portrays the king and queen as much-maligned and misused as she covers these events (the famed controversy of the diamond necklace, for example). It is clear that Marie Antoinette was a target of gossip and slander right from the start, however complicit she was in spending and extravagances, and the reader will feel empathy for her, especially after her imprisonment, when the entire royal family, children included, suffered deprivations and, with the exception of her daughter, met a tragic demise.
All in all, a fascinating read.
March 12, 2018
Les Mémoires est une biographie historique écrit par Madame Campan, première femme de chambre de Marie-Antoinette. Dans ce livre, elle retranscrit la vie de la reine depuis le début de son service jusqu’en 1792. Ces mémoires se divisent en deux livres. La première dévoile la jeunesse de Marie-Antoinette jusqu’à la veille de la Révolution. La seconde inscrit le courage et la maturité de la reine durant la Révolution.
Lire l'analyse des Mémoires de Madame Campan
Lire l'analyse des Mémoires de Madame Campan
August 10, 2022
Un récit court et bien écrit mais dans lequel j'ai mis du temps avant de vraiment me plonger. J'ai apprécié la note en début de livre précisant qu'il ne fallait pas se fier à l'opinion relatée dans ce récit, Mme Campan ayant été très proche de Marie Antoinette, sa vision est biaisée et donc parfois historiquement incomplète voire fausse.
December 19, 2023
read for school
Read
January 6, 20248890634
Read
January 6, 20246741096
January 20, 2024
"Uneasy is the head that wears a crown."
December 18, 2025
¿Cómo vas a hacer una biografía de María Antonieta y dejar de lado partes como el asunto del collar o el hecho que la apresaron y le cortaron la cabeza? Esto no es culpa de Madame Campan sino de Funambulista, que ha cogido sólo trozos de las memorias y NO avisa que están incompletas
August 18, 2016
Over the last week I've tried to write a review worthy of Madame Campan's memoirs . Alas, I accept, I'm no writer. In spite of my literary shortcomings, I've endeavored to review these memoirs as I realize--as a former student of the American education system-- I've been lied to. On one level or another, we all understand that history is written by the victors, so here too, the modern imagine of Maria Antoinette, Louis XVI, the bourgeois, the foundational concept of equality among men, and the true inspirations of the French Revolution; have all been taught supporting the narrative of the victors.
Embarking on this journey, the reader is transported into the glided halls of Versailles, the sophisticated dressing and dinning rituals, all the pomp and splendor imaginable of 18th century French court-- as witnessed by Madam Campan, first lady-in-waiting to the Queen of France. This eye witnessed account dawns on the early days of Maria Antoinette's arrival to France, the ascension of Louis XVI, their reign, the spark of insurgency, its realities, and concluding with the royal family's unfortunate end, it is, for lack of a better phrase, a pager turner.
" Let them eat cake" - These infamous words of the last French Queen, the great squander of the treasury, who is excessively luxurious, indiscreet and reckless; are not found in this lengthy recollection of service; the incident isn't referenced at all. Instead. We meet a reluctant princess, who's initial arrival is met with both court and public opposition, largely due to anti-Austrian sentiment. She, the Queen, is descried as charitable, supportive to her inner circle, indifferent to affairs of state, but largely loathed without justification. Her greatest crime rest in her origins as an Austrian archduchess.
The details of this book, in my opinion, also refute the profile of Louis XVI; the hereditary autocrat more interested in the mechanics of locks than the minutia of government, whose blatant disregard for his subjects led to his just execution in the name of Liberty. Instead, we the readers are introduced to a family man, dedicated to his children's education, firm in the conviction of monarchy, but largely indecisive by nature, often prevailed upon by the last person spoken, whose misjudgment of his advisers armed an angry populace against an otherwise benevolent sovereign.
All and all this book is recommendable to anyone interested in history and could serve as a secondary teaching aid to educators of history. I give it 3.5 stars as it is intriguing for its history, however, sometimes the individual accounts of historically insignificant communications become overwhelmingly detailed and inducing hebetude.
A noteworthy observation of the similarities in the French second estate and today's privileged class-- in wealth distribution,tax burden, and political clout. In place of nobles and their favorites, presently we have oligarchs and their lobbyist, the wealthy still do not carry their fair weight in taxes, and their wealth affords them protections concealed from the san-culottes; the common man. It would be wise for our plutocratic lords to learn from the pages of history, failing not to mistake themselves above the fate of the guillotine.
Embarking on this journey, the reader is transported into the glided halls of Versailles, the sophisticated dressing and dinning rituals, all the pomp and splendor imaginable of 18th century French court-- as witnessed by Madam Campan, first lady-in-waiting to the Queen of France. This eye witnessed account dawns on the early days of Maria Antoinette's arrival to France, the ascension of Louis XVI, their reign, the spark of insurgency, its realities, and concluding with the royal family's unfortunate end, it is, for lack of a better phrase, a pager turner.
" Let them eat cake" - These infamous words of the last French Queen, the great squander of the treasury, who is excessively luxurious, indiscreet and reckless; are not found in this lengthy recollection of service; the incident isn't referenced at all. Instead. We meet a reluctant princess, who's initial arrival is met with both court and public opposition, largely due to anti-Austrian sentiment. She, the Queen, is descried as charitable, supportive to her inner circle, indifferent to affairs of state, but largely loathed without justification. Her greatest crime rest in her origins as an Austrian archduchess.
The details of this book, in my opinion, also refute the profile of Louis XVI; the hereditary autocrat more interested in the mechanics of locks than the minutia of government, whose blatant disregard for his subjects led to his just execution in the name of Liberty. Instead, we the readers are introduced to a family man, dedicated to his children's education, firm in the conviction of monarchy, but largely indecisive by nature, often prevailed upon by the last person spoken, whose misjudgment of his advisers armed an angry populace against an otherwise benevolent sovereign.
All and all this book is recommendable to anyone interested in history and could serve as a secondary teaching aid to educators of history. I give it 3.5 stars as it is intriguing for its history, however, sometimes the individual accounts of historically insignificant communications become overwhelmingly detailed and inducing hebetude.
A noteworthy observation of the similarities in the French second estate and today's privileged class-- in wealth distribution,tax burden, and political clout. In place of nobles and their favorites, presently we have oligarchs and their lobbyist, the wealthy still do not carry their fair weight in taxes, and their wealth affords them protections concealed from the san-culottes; the common man. It would be wise for our plutocratic lords to learn from the pages of history, failing not to mistake themselves above the fate of the guillotine.
August 10, 2023
Es un libro escrito por Madame Campan, dama de compañía y confidente de la que fuera reina de Francia, María Antonieta.
Partiendo de esta premisa, cogí la lectura pensando que iba a encontrar una historia más íntima y personal sobre la figura de esta monarca tan icónica; pero mi sorpresa fue cuando, en primer lugar, la autora se extiende unas setenta páginas hablando de ella misma, narra su trabajo en el palacio de Versalles, que consistía en leerles libros a las princesas, hijas del rey Luis XV. Esta parte anterior a la llegada de María Antonieta al castillo, se centra en el reinado de Luis XV y son pocas las anécdotas que quizás puedan llamar algo la atención del lector.
Tras esta extensa introducción en la que apenas menciona a la que fuese reina de Francia y principal figura que nos ocupa, lo que sigue es una sucesión de hechos que se pueden encontrar en cualquier otra novela o biografía. Refleja a una reina que quiso trasladar las costumbres de Austria a Francia, una reina que tuvo malos consejeros, la mala administración de las finanzas durante su reinado, además de algunos de sus entretenimientos. Todo ello, le costó sucesivas infamias de sobra conocidas como el reproche de su supuesto despilfarro, que en palabras de la que fue su mayor confidente y autora de estas memorias califica como “el más inconcebible de los errores populares”, y añade que se le hizo creer al pueblo que la reina era una derrochadora, cuando según parece incluso repartió parte de su dote a las familias más necesitadas.
La figura de su marido el delfín Luis XVI tampoco tiene un gran peso en estas memorias, a destacar la indiferencia que éste le inflingió a María Antonieta hasta que ella no concibió a un varón y heredero al trono.
Para mi gusto la lectura ha sido tediosa, centrándose en demasía en narrar la vida de la gente en la corte, con multitud de nombres y datos históricos y alejándose de la figura principal y eje de lo que prometen ser unas memorias sobre María Antonieta.
Partiendo de esta premisa, cogí la lectura pensando que iba a encontrar una historia más íntima y personal sobre la figura de esta monarca tan icónica; pero mi sorpresa fue cuando, en primer lugar, la autora se extiende unas setenta páginas hablando de ella misma, narra su trabajo en el palacio de Versalles, que consistía en leerles libros a las princesas, hijas del rey Luis XV. Esta parte anterior a la llegada de María Antonieta al castillo, se centra en el reinado de Luis XV y son pocas las anécdotas que quizás puedan llamar algo la atención del lector.
Tras esta extensa introducción en la que apenas menciona a la que fuese reina de Francia y principal figura que nos ocupa, lo que sigue es una sucesión de hechos que se pueden encontrar en cualquier otra novela o biografía. Refleja a una reina que quiso trasladar las costumbres de Austria a Francia, una reina que tuvo malos consejeros, la mala administración de las finanzas durante su reinado, además de algunos de sus entretenimientos. Todo ello, le costó sucesivas infamias de sobra conocidas como el reproche de su supuesto despilfarro, que en palabras de la que fue su mayor confidente y autora de estas memorias califica como “el más inconcebible de los errores populares”, y añade que se le hizo creer al pueblo que la reina era una derrochadora, cuando según parece incluso repartió parte de su dote a las familias más necesitadas.
La figura de su marido el delfín Luis XVI tampoco tiene un gran peso en estas memorias, a destacar la indiferencia que éste le inflingió a María Antonieta hasta que ella no concibió a un varón y heredero al trono.
Para mi gusto la lectura ha sido tediosa, centrándose en demasía en narrar la vida de la gente en la corte, con multitud de nombres y datos históricos y alejándose de la figura principal y eje de lo que prometen ser unas memorias sobre María Antonieta.
December 20, 2013
Having initially learnt about the French Revolution in school in France, I was left with a sanguinary confused mish-mash of names and no real clear idea of what people were actually upset with the monarchs for other than existing...
Madame Campan's account provides an unexpected insight into the background of what started the revolution and reveals a lot of little details that generally get forgotten in history lessons. It is definitely interesting to see that the problems of the revolution stem from court intrigue overspilling in an unexpected and stupid way and the account provides a picture of Marie Antoinette that is far more sympathetic than the portraits that anybody trying to emphasise the 'good' of the revolution present of her. Seeing the royal family and the account of what was going on from a sympathetic perspective provides a very good counterpoint to the usual perspective and allows for the option to actually get to know the individuals involved, rather than the ideas that people tried to present in order to justify the revolution.
The definite questions you end up with are - why exactly was there a need for a revolution and why does anyone think that it was a good thing?
Well worth the read and at some point, I intend to reread it in French to get the original linguistic nuances that get lost in English.
Madame Campan's account provides an unexpected insight into the background of what started the revolution and reveals a lot of little details that generally get forgotten in history lessons. It is definitely interesting to see that the problems of the revolution stem from court intrigue overspilling in an unexpected and stupid way and the account provides a picture of Marie Antoinette that is far more sympathetic than the portraits that anybody trying to emphasise the 'good' of the revolution present of her. Seeing the royal family and the account of what was going on from a sympathetic perspective provides a very good counterpoint to the usual perspective and allows for the option to actually get to know the individuals involved, rather than the ideas that people tried to present in order to justify the revolution.
The definite questions you end up with are - why exactly was there a need for a revolution and why does anyone think that it was a good thing?
Well worth the read and at some point, I intend to reread it in French to get the original linguistic nuances that get lost in English.
August 31, 2016
A little dry, but ultimately an interesting view into the day to day goings on within close quarters of Marie Antoinette. Of course, nothing is without bias, and this is rather heftily enamored with the Dauphine (and later, Queen). Even as the palace is being stormed, we are told how the Queen moved rioters to tears with her grace and dignity. The main text is written by one of her close assistants, I suppose it isn't exactly a secret that the account may be flattering, and it's that immediacy that comes with a contemporary account that lured me in to this particular book in the first place.
I read this book in bits and pieces over...jeez...years, I guess, if my timeline is correct, so I knocked off a star for not being able to hold my attention for more than a hundred or so pages at a time. That could be more of a reflection on my reading style than the book itself, but even then, that's one protracted read. There were some serious lulls in the action that made me feel like, "so how soon till she dies?" which probably isn't the best endorsement.
I read this book in bits and pieces over...jeez...years, I guess, if my timeline is correct, so I knocked off a star for not being able to hold my attention for more than a hundred or so pages at a time. That could be more of a reflection on my reading style than the book itself, but even then, that's one protracted read. There were some serious lulls in the action that made me feel like, "so how soon till she dies?" which probably isn't the best endorsement.
May 23, 2010
Jeanne Louise Genet Campan was incredibly accomplished for her age; her noted talents landed her the appointment of reader to the royal princesses, a job which entailed just that, yet so much more! It led to a position serving the Queen of France directly, placing the young lady in the middle of the cliques, the gossip and even the politics at Versailles.
A Royalist through and through, Jeanne grew up among the Bourbons. She spent many years in the company of Marie Antoinette and her husband, and their friends as well. The Memoirs are written so that you can feel her devotion and see her true attachment to the royal couple. Her style is empathetic, descriptive and very lively; she brings the court to life....
Read my full review and download the book for free at GirleBooks.com
A Royalist through and through, Jeanne grew up among the Bourbons. She spent many years in the company of Marie Antoinette and her husband, and their friends as well. The Memoirs are written so that you can feel her devotion and see her true attachment to the royal couple. Her style is empathetic, descriptive and very lively; she brings the court to life....
Read my full review and download the book for free at GirleBooks.com
February 5, 2013
Pesanteee
Magari è colpa mia eh? E' colpa mia che non ho una conoscenza così dettagliata di tutti (e sottolineo tutti) i personaggi storici coinvolti negli anni che precedono la Rivoluzione Francese. O semplicemente non sono riuscita a farmi coinvolgere da un elenco lunghissimo fatto di nomi e piccoli episodi irrilevanti, mentre io avrei voluto che ci fosse almeno qualche minuscolo riferimento agli ultimi momenti di Maria Antonietta.
Nota all'editore: il titolo è totalmente fuorviante, ma mai quanto la copertina, visto che da questo libro NON è tratto il film con Kirsten Dunst.
Magari è colpa mia eh? E' colpa mia che non ho una conoscenza così dettagliata di tutti (e sottolineo tutti) i personaggi storici coinvolti negli anni che precedono la Rivoluzione Francese. O semplicemente non sono riuscita a farmi coinvolgere da un elenco lunghissimo fatto di nomi e piccoli episodi irrilevanti, mentre io avrei voluto che ci fosse almeno qualche minuscolo riferimento agli ultimi momenti di Maria Antonietta.
Nota all'editore: il titolo è totalmente fuorviante, ma mai quanto la copertina, visto che da questo libro NON è tratto il film con Kirsten Dunst.
July 26, 2013
In queste memorie viene descritta Maria Antonietta e la sua vita alla corte di Versailles da un punto di vista privilegiato…quello della sua prima cameriera, madame Campan…
Anche se titolo e immagine di copertina non sono dei migliori e spesso emerge la parzialita’ dell'autrice, il testo si presenta come una interessante fonte di informazioni e aneddoti!
Anche se titolo e immagine di copertina non sono dei migliori e spesso emerge la parzialita’ dell'autrice, il testo si presenta come una interessante fonte di informazioni e aneddoti!
June 21, 2015
Just love it. First hand information and opinion. Madame Campan clearly sided - Marie Antoinette was her beloved mistress, but her given information is solid and really valuable. Simply must read to all who wants to know more about Marie Antoinette and Royal Family. Easy to get and totally free ( kindle edition ).
January 21, 2014
E se lo dice la nostra divina Bastet... c'è da crederle.
Qui il suo parere completo e ben spiegato su questa sua lettura: http://demiurghiracconti.blogspot.it/...
Qui il suo parere completo e ben spiegato su questa sua lettura: http://demiurghiracconti.blogspot.it/...
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