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The The French Blue
"...a fascinating tale of adventure and global intrigue." -Gems & Gemology This is the backstory of the notorious Hope Diamond. Between the years 1630-1668, the French gem merchant, Jean Baptiste Tavernier made six voyages to Persia and India. His true exploits by land and sea go far beyond the ink and paper exploits of fictional adventurers. Tavernier met and did business with some of the world's most powerful princes and romanced some of the most beautiful women. Sometime during his last voyage, Tavernier acquired a magnificent 116 carat blue diamond. Upon his return to France, he sold the diamond to Louis XIV, for the equivalent of 147 kilos of pure gold. The Sun King made him Baron of Aubonne. The remains of Tavernier s blue gem is known today as the Hope Diamond, but for the first 200 years of its history it was called simply The French Blue .
584 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
13 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Richard W. Wise
5 books106 followersRichard Wise is the author of four books. His latest novel, THE DAWNING; 31,000 BC (2022), is set in the Aurginacian Period in Southern France.
His REDLINED, A NOVEL OF BOSTON (2021), is a mystery thriller set in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. PublishersWeekly raves: "Fans of suspense fiction with a social conscience will be pleased." Midwest Book Review describes REDLINED as "An original and simply riveting novel." REDLINED was nominated for the National Book Award and the Benjamin Franklin Award in fiction. www.richardwbooks.com
His previous books include Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur's Guide To Precious Gemstones. First published in 2003, the book became a critically acclaimed bestseller. The revised and expanded second edition was published in November 2016. www.secretsofthegemtrade.com
The author's second book and first novel, The French Blue (2010), chronicles the adventures of 17th-century gem dealer and adventurer Jean Baptiste Tavernier and tells the back story of the Hope Diamond. The French Blue was an "Award Winning Finalist" at the 2011 International Book Awards. www.thefrenchblue.com
His REDLINED, A NOVEL OF BOSTON (2021), is a mystery thriller set in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. PublishersWeekly raves: "Fans of suspense fiction with a social conscience will be pleased." Midwest Book Review describes REDLINED as "An original and simply riveting novel." REDLINED was nominated for the National Book Award and the Benjamin Franklin Award in fiction. www.richardwbooks.com
His previous books include Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur's Guide To Precious Gemstones. First published in 2003, the book became a critically acclaimed bestseller. The revised and expanded second edition was published in November 2016. www.secretsofthegemtrade.com
The author's second book and first novel, The French Blue (2010), chronicles the adventures of 17th-century gem dealer and adventurer Jean Baptiste Tavernier and tells the back story of the Hope Diamond. The French Blue was an "Award Winning Finalist" at the 2011 International Book Awards. www.thefrenchblue.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 9, 2010
NO SPOILERS!!!
I finished the book last night. This was for me a four star book. It is an adventure story about Jean-Baptiste Tavernier's life. It is historical fiction. I preferred the historical aspects of the story. Descriptions of people and places and customs were done magnificently. I was less drawn to the plot of the story. I enjoyed reading the separate episodes. I loved the chapter about Princess Jahamara and the Kama Sutra. You smile. Sex was delightfully depicted. This book is filled with many, many adventures, and they are fun to read about. I do believe that by the end of the book the reader understands who Tavernier was as a person. I understood Madeleine with my head, but I never cared for her with my heart, as I did with Tavernier. I liked her better in the beginning rather than at the end, but I will not say why. That would be a spoiler!
The reason why I give it four rather than five stars is because it remains to me an "adventure STORY". For many others, that is enough to award it five stars. I personally am more drawn to fact over fiction and although all the facts that are known about Tavernier's life are skillfully interwoven into the story, it remains a story. For me a five star book has to be utterly AMAZING! This book was very, very good. Maybe if all the fun, different episodes had held together more, it would have worked better for me. Instead, I enjoyed that episode and that episode and that one, but they were not linked together to build a whole that ended up AMAZING. I am very glad I read this book. I learned about history and locations and gens and the gentleman's code of behavior. One more thing - I loved how the appearance of a person was so wonderfully depicted. After reading a description, the characters stood before you, visible in your mind's eye! Some of them you could even smell!
Through page 226: I have been questioned if this book should be shelved as "history" or "non-fiction". In my mind it is good historical FICTION. It is a rollicking adventure story based on a real person's life. Furthermore, note the discussion Tara and I are having! I have now met Madeleine de Goisse, the love of his life. She has spirit. If I may quote one sentence:
I will be no man's chattel?
Are her actions believable? The reader must judge for themself. Is the story fun? Absolutely! Remember no spoiler.
_______________________________________________
Tara is currently reading this book too. Our views diverge. Check out the comments under her review too. Tara is a wonderfull friend of mine, but that does not mean we must always have the same views on books.
______________________________________________________
Through page 172: I am really enjoying myself. Gems, history, travels and captivating storytelling all rolled up in a marvelous bundle. Visiting thee ancient cities is marvelous. First of all they cannot today be seen as they were then and armchair travel is so much easier than real travel. One more quote about Istafan, Persia:
Istafan together with its suburbs is more than twice the size of Paris, and the population is ten times greater than our capital.The city has one hundred sixty-two mosques, forty-eight colleges, and twelve cemeteries. It is situated in the middle of a broad, fertile plain that spreads fifteen leagues in each direction. The plain is planted with all manner of trees and crops, sufficient to feed the entire population of the city. There are no villages, just tiny clusters of houses, used by those that work the land, and plain-tree shaded channels that have been dug to provide irrigation.
Between seven and eight o'clock each morning it is the custom of the citizens of Istafan to repair to the coffee houses where they smoke tobacco and gossip with friends.......
The next chapter, entitled Madame Twelve-Tomans, I imagine, will thrust me into the tale of Tavernier's love life! NOW I think I have said enouogh so I can just read the book for awhile!
Through page 158: The last chapter has cenntered upon the Thirty Years War - to put it succinctly a conflict between the Catholic and the Protestant faiths. Fascinationg to read again about King Gustav Adolf of Sweden and Wallenstein, the Austrian Generalissimo, and the Holy Roman Emperor, about the Battle at Lützen where Gustav Adolf was killed and about the assassination of Wallenstein. Tavernier's role in the assassination is plausible. In Prague I have visited the Wallenstein Palace and read all the nasty things they say about the Swedes...... There are beautiful peacocks in the gardens. Being Swedes ourselves, we chose to speak English as tourists. Prague is a city that MUST be visited, before it is inundated by all the tourists!
Through page 58: The best way to explain the manner of the storytelling is perhaps via a quote:
We departed the Persian capital with ten camels, four to carry my goodsand four to carry myself, Danusch and my two servants, with two animals as spares. The caravan consisted of more than one hundred-fifty merchants, our small retinue almost lost among the thousand men and beasts bound for the port of Bander Abbas on the Persian Gulf. My own goal was the island of Bahrain, the center of pearl fishing in the Gulf.
On caravan, each morning is much the same.The most devout of the Arab camel herders unrolled their rugs in the direction of Mecca and prayed. Danush was not the most devout of men, but he could not resist the pointed glances of his co-religionists. Silently he would unroll his prayer rug and with a surly side-ways glance, kneel, and join their devotions while I stood silently beating my arms and stamping my feet to drive the cold from my night-stiff limbs.
Once the prayers were over Danush prepared breakfast. First he added small chips of camel dung to build up the fire that had been carefully banked the night before. He filled a fire blackened pot and boiled tea. Then he then dug up the pita, the thin flat bread that had been mixed, kneaded, flattened and placed in shallow holes scraped in the bare earth, covered over with dirt and hot ashes from the fire. Raw onions, tangy hummus, the warm pita and bitter green tea were our usual fare.
Most of the merchants were clad in Bedouin attire: long robes and....
Through such detailed description the reader can draw a picture in their minds of what is happening - the smells, the feel the texture of the surroundings. This is what I mean by wonderful storytelling. There is alot of action and the dialogue fits perfectly each given situation. Two minor complaints: there are small typographical errors and I wish MORE maps were provided! I would have loved to see the trajectory of all travels plotted onto maps. This is not serious, I just had to grap my own atlas! It is fun to see the voyages plotted out and think that this took place in the 1600s.
Through page 56: Before starting this book I had absolutely no interest in the gem trade. I picked this book out b/c I was interested in its emphasis on travel during the 1600s. Now I find the gem trade enthralling. Terms such as "washing the eyes" in the bargaining process, the different qualities of turquoise (Piruzeh in Farsi) angustari, arabi and barkhneh and both history and customs of the Persian sheks, shahs and tradesmen are depicted through delightful storytelling. This is proving to be a delightful adventure story for adults. Never boring. The subjects touched upon are to me both new and intriguing.
Through page 20: Marvelous storytelling from the first page explains why Tavernier from a young age becam interested in travelling the seas. The author adroitly chooses his words to anchor the setting in the 1600s, in a world of cartography, questions concerning Tera Australis Incognita, Portugese sailing prowess, the legendary cities of Goa and Madras, sites along the Malabar coast, hourglasses, fighting with cutlass, dirk and rapier..... The dialogue is perfect.
Tavernier made six voyages to India and Persia from 1630 to 1668. On his last voyage he returned with the French Blue, the diamond from which the Hope Diamond is carved. He sold this diamond tp France's Sun King, Louis XIV for 147 kilos of pure gold. In the next chapter Tavernier is off on his first voyage. No dwadling here, the adventurey has begun.
Before reading: Yoohoo, yoohoo - pay attention. I got it. Yipee!
Richard thank you very much for sending this. What is this - super jet airmail? Yesterday Richard said it was on the way and today I get it! And it is a hardcover signed by Richard. Lovely pictures and maps and drawings. What can I say? I am impressed. I adore hardovers, but I rarely treat myself to them!
Lauren, thank you putting in a good word for me!
I finished the book last night. This was for me a four star book. It is an adventure story about Jean-Baptiste Tavernier's life. It is historical fiction. I preferred the historical aspects of the story. Descriptions of people and places and customs were done magnificently. I was less drawn to the plot of the story. I enjoyed reading the separate episodes. I loved the chapter about Princess Jahamara and the Kama Sutra. You smile. Sex was delightfully depicted. This book is filled with many, many adventures, and they are fun to read about. I do believe that by the end of the book the reader understands who Tavernier was as a person. I understood Madeleine with my head, but I never cared for her with my heart, as I did with Tavernier. I liked her better in the beginning rather than at the end, but I will not say why. That would be a spoiler!
The reason why I give it four rather than five stars is because it remains to me an "adventure STORY". For many others, that is enough to award it five stars. I personally am more drawn to fact over fiction and although all the facts that are known about Tavernier's life are skillfully interwoven into the story, it remains a story. For me a five star book has to be utterly AMAZING! This book was very, very good. Maybe if all the fun, different episodes had held together more, it would have worked better for me. Instead, I enjoyed that episode and that episode and that one, but they were not linked together to build a whole that ended up AMAZING. I am very glad I read this book. I learned about history and locations and gens and the gentleman's code of behavior. One more thing - I loved how the appearance of a person was so wonderfully depicted. After reading a description, the characters stood before you, visible in your mind's eye! Some of them you could even smell!
Through page 226: I have been questioned if this book should be shelved as "history" or "non-fiction". In my mind it is good historical FICTION. It is a rollicking adventure story based on a real person's life. Furthermore, note the discussion Tara and I are having! I have now met Madeleine de Goisse, the love of his life. She has spirit. If I may quote one sentence:
I will be no man's chattel?
Are her actions believable? The reader must judge for themself. Is the story fun? Absolutely! Remember no spoiler.
_______________________________________________
Tara is currently reading this book too. Our views diverge. Check out the comments under her review too. Tara is a wonderfull friend of mine, but that does not mean we must always have the same views on books.
______________________________________________________
Through page 172: I am really enjoying myself. Gems, history, travels and captivating storytelling all rolled up in a marvelous bundle. Visiting thee ancient cities is marvelous. First of all they cannot today be seen as they were then and armchair travel is so much easier than real travel. One more quote about Istafan, Persia:
Istafan together with its suburbs is more than twice the size of Paris, and the population is ten times greater than our capital.The city has one hundred sixty-two mosques, forty-eight colleges, and twelve cemeteries. It is situated in the middle of a broad, fertile plain that spreads fifteen leagues in each direction. The plain is planted with all manner of trees and crops, sufficient to feed the entire population of the city. There are no villages, just tiny clusters of houses, used by those that work the land, and plain-tree shaded channels that have been dug to provide irrigation.
Between seven and eight o'clock each morning it is the custom of the citizens of Istafan to repair to the coffee houses where they smoke tobacco and gossip with friends.......
The next chapter, entitled Madame Twelve-Tomans, I imagine, will thrust me into the tale of Tavernier's love life! NOW I think I have said enouogh so I can just read the book for awhile!
Through page 158: The last chapter has cenntered upon the Thirty Years War - to put it succinctly a conflict between the Catholic and the Protestant faiths. Fascinationg to read again about King Gustav Adolf of Sweden and Wallenstein, the Austrian Generalissimo, and the Holy Roman Emperor, about the Battle at Lützen where Gustav Adolf was killed and about the assassination of Wallenstein. Tavernier's role in the assassination is plausible. In Prague I have visited the Wallenstein Palace and read all the nasty things they say about the Swedes...... There are beautiful peacocks in the gardens. Being Swedes ourselves, we chose to speak English as tourists. Prague is a city that MUST be visited, before it is inundated by all the tourists!
Through page 58: The best way to explain the manner of the storytelling is perhaps via a quote:
We departed the Persian capital with ten camels, four to carry my goodsand four to carry myself, Danusch and my two servants, with two animals as spares. The caravan consisted of more than one hundred-fifty merchants, our small retinue almost lost among the thousand men and beasts bound for the port of Bander Abbas on the Persian Gulf. My own goal was the island of Bahrain, the center of pearl fishing in the Gulf.
On caravan, each morning is much the same.The most devout of the Arab camel herders unrolled their rugs in the direction of Mecca and prayed. Danush was not the most devout of men, but he could not resist the pointed glances of his co-religionists. Silently he would unroll his prayer rug and with a surly side-ways glance, kneel, and join their devotions while I stood silently beating my arms and stamping my feet to drive the cold from my night-stiff limbs.
Once the prayers were over Danush prepared breakfast. First he added small chips of camel dung to build up the fire that had been carefully banked the night before. He filled a fire blackened pot and boiled tea. Then he then dug up the pita, the thin flat bread that had been mixed, kneaded, flattened and placed in shallow holes scraped in the bare earth, covered over with dirt and hot ashes from the fire. Raw onions, tangy hummus, the warm pita and bitter green tea were our usual fare.
Most of the merchants were clad in Bedouin attire: long robes and....
Through such detailed description the reader can draw a picture in their minds of what is happening - the smells, the feel the texture of the surroundings. This is what I mean by wonderful storytelling. There is alot of action and the dialogue fits perfectly each given situation. Two minor complaints: there are small typographical errors and I wish MORE maps were provided! I would have loved to see the trajectory of all travels plotted onto maps. This is not serious, I just had to grap my own atlas! It is fun to see the voyages plotted out and think that this took place in the 1600s.
Through page 56: Before starting this book I had absolutely no interest in the gem trade. I picked this book out b/c I was interested in its emphasis on travel during the 1600s. Now I find the gem trade enthralling. Terms such as "washing the eyes" in the bargaining process, the different qualities of turquoise (Piruzeh in Farsi) angustari, arabi and barkhneh and both history and customs of the Persian sheks, shahs and tradesmen are depicted through delightful storytelling. This is proving to be a delightful adventure story for adults. Never boring. The subjects touched upon are to me both new and intriguing.
Through page 20: Marvelous storytelling from the first page explains why Tavernier from a young age becam interested in travelling the seas. The author adroitly chooses his words to anchor the setting in the 1600s, in a world of cartography, questions concerning Tera Australis Incognita, Portugese sailing prowess, the legendary cities of Goa and Madras, sites along the Malabar coast, hourglasses, fighting with cutlass, dirk and rapier..... The dialogue is perfect.
Tavernier made six voyages to India and Persia from 1630 to 1668. On his last voyage he returned with the French Blue, the diamond from which the Hope Diamond is carved. He sold this diamond tp France's Sun King, Louis XIV for 147 kilos of pure gold. In the next chapter Tavernier is off on his first voyage. No dwadling here, the adventurey has begun.
Before reading: Yoohoo, yoohoo - pay attention. I got it. Yipee!
Richard thank you very much for sending this. What is this - super jet airmail? Yesterday Richard said it was on the way and today I get it! And it is a hardcover signed by Richard. Lovely pictures and maps and drawings. What can I say? I am impressed. I adore hardovers, but I rarely treat myself to them!
Lauren, thank you putting in a good word for me!
December 5, 2009
The French Blue is a fascinating debut historical fiction novel. It is about Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the son of a cartographer, who finds his fortune as a gem trader. The novel is drawn from Tavernier's own memoirs of his travels, mixed with knowledge of gemstones, genuine historical research, and some imaginative storytelling to tie together Tavernier's life and fill in gaps in the historical record. It is quite lengthy, but grabbed me in instantaneously, thanks to marvelous prose and electrifying storytelling.
The novel begins with Jean Baptiste Tavernier as a little boy. He meets a Portuguese sailor who tells him a fantastic story about a sea voyage to Australia and a horrific counter with the aborigines. Jean Baptiste develops the ambition to see the world. Jean Baptiste becomes a gem trader, traveling to Persia, India, Burma, and other exotic locales. He meets fantastic historical figures, from the cardinal Mazarin to Louis XIV as a young boy/man to Shah Jehan of the Mogul Empire to the Shah of Persia. The novel includes plenty of intrigue, with Jean Baptiste going to great lengths to find the sources of pearls, rubies, and diamonds, facing danger along the way from pirates, religious fanatics, authoritarian monarchs, and other fascinating characters. The novel also features romance in the form of the daughter of the Shah of Persia and a French courtesan, who becomes Jean Baptiste's lifelong love interest as well as Jean Baptiste's liaisons with a married Countess as well as Shah Jehan's daughter. Ultimately, the novel is the "back story" of the stone that eventually was cut into the Hope Diamond.
Wise is a great writer. He has a gift for transporting his readers to both faraway places and faraway times. Sometimes, historical novels are not fully divorced from modernity, with excessively modern protagonists with modern ideas. Wise's Jean Baptiste Tavernier is decidedly not modern. Jean Baptiste's accounts of his encounters with the natives often smack of ethnocentrism. However, this is a great strength, as a seventeenth century man - even one as worldly as Tavernier - would have viewed the world through a mindset of European superiority.
In short, this novel is so much more than a novel about the gem trade. It is a novel about the growth of colonialism, about empires that no longer exist, about travel and ambition and fearlessness. Jean Baptiste Tavernier was an amazing man - each of his six voyages to the east took several years, requiring arduous treks through mountains, across the dessert, across the sea and through jungles. As is clear from the novel, Europeans often did not survive in the tropical climates of India and Indonesia, yet Jean Baptiste pressed on, filled with ambition to find the most valuable stone known to Europe. While gemology is clearly Wise's passion, gemology itself is secondary to the story of Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the adventurer
* The author sent me a review copy of this novel.
The novel begins with Jean Baptiste Tavernier as a little boy. He meets a Portuguese sailor who tells him a fantastic story about a sea voyage to Australia and a horrific counter with the aborigines. Jean Baptiste develops the ambition to see the world. Jean Baptiste becomes a gem trader, traveling to Persia, India, Burma, and other exotic locales. He meets fantastic historical figures, from the cardinal Mazarin to Louis XIV as a young boy/man to Shah Jehan of the Mogul Empire to the Shah of Persia. The novel includes plenty of intrigue, with Jean Baptiste going to great lengths to find the sources of pearls, rubies, and diamonds, facing danger along the way from pirates, religious fanatics, authoritarian monarchs, and other fascinating characters. The novel also features romance in the form of the daughter of the Shah of Persia and a French courtesan, who becomes Jean Baptiste's lifelong love interest as well as Jean Baptiste's liaisons with a married Countess as well as Shah Jehan's daughter. Ultimately, the novel is the "back story" of the stone that eventually was cut into the Hope Diamond.
Wise is a great writer. He has a gift for transporting his readers to both faraway places and faraway times. Sometimes, historical novels are not fully divorced from modernity, with excessively modern protagonists with modern ideas. Wise's Jean Baptiste Tavernier is decidedly not modern. Jean Baptiste's accounts of his encounters with the natives often smack of ethnocentrism. However, this is a great strength, as a seventeenth century man - even one as worldly as Tavernier - would have viewed the world through a mindset of European superiority.
In short, this novel is so much more than a novel about the gem trade. It is a novel about the growth of colonialism, about empires that no longer exist, about travel and ambition and fearlessness. Jean Baptiste Tavernier was an amazing man - each of his six voyages to the east took several years, requiring arduous treks through mountains, across the dessert, across the sea and through jungles. As is clear from the novel, Europeans often did not survive in the tropical climates of India and Indonesia, yet Jean Baptiste pressed on, filled with ambition to find the most valuable stone known to Europe. While gemology is clearly Wise's passion, gemology itself is secondary to the story of Jean Baptiste Tavernier, the adventurer
* The author sent me a review copy of this novel.
May 9, 2010
Having given up this book previously due to my own lack of interest, I was convinced by numerous friends and some tantalizing references to finish it. I should have left well enough alone, but now I can be completely fair in my review and rating. My opinions below remain the same. Every woman in this book EXCEPT Jean's mother and Anne of Austria comes across as a "Bond" girl. NOT FOR ME. Madeleine, having been a strong and likeable woman at first is a greedy and unlikeable (I'm thinking 5 letters, adjective, first letter B, also means female dog) by the end of the novel and I thought Jean would indeed, be better off letting her "wallow like a pig in a trough." And Princess Jahanara... oh my. Is it a good adventure? Yes. Does it have pirates? Only one chapter. Did I like it? No. Sorry, guys.
I picked this up cause of all the hoopla. Everybody loves this book. Out of 14 reviews on Amazon, all but one are 5 stars. The lone outcast gave it (gasp!) a 4! I'm not gonna lie. It hasn't worked for me. I must settle for being the only person in the world not in love with this book. I have bailed at page 305 so even tho I spent two days reading this, I have not given it a rating.
What made me bail? A: Tho full of real history and real people, the stories were not about people I have ever heard of nor care about. (I want to stress this here.. It is not a BAD book, it is just not about people that interest this particular reader.) B: The women characters when they ever bothered to make their brief appearances were all married women sleeping with the hero of the tale or grabbing his crotch under the dinner table. And finally C: Twas a bit "choppy" for my taste. Allow me to define "choppy." By choppy I mean certain parts in Jean's life just suddenly come to an end and one brief line later, another part of his life begins and I was checking to see if I had missed a page or paragraph somehow. Also, some details about his life were very left out.. He had a brother Daniel who went traveling with him but it is not until page 282 that yet another brother is mentioned, Gabriel. I would have liked to know more of his family. (After all, your immediate family, the people you grow up with and that you love, determines much about who you are as a person. More information along these lines may have helped me "get to know" and understand Jean better.) Just suddenly mentioning your brother for the first time at a point in your journal when you are 45 years of age is just so sudden and "off." I don't know how else to explain it, but there it is.
I think this is a novel more for fans of James Bond.
I picked this up cause of all the hoopla. Everybody loves this book. Out of 14 reviews on Amazon, all but one are 5 stars. The lone outcast gave it (gasp!) a 4! I'm not gonna lie. It hasn't worked for me. I must settle for being the only person in the world not in love with this book. I have bailed at page 305 so even tho I spent two days reading this, I have not given it a rating.
What made me bail? A: Tho full of real history and real people, the stories were not about people I have ever heard of nor care about. (I want to stress this here.. It is not a BAD book, it is just not about people that interest this particular reader.) B: The women characters when they ever bothered to make their brief appearances were all married women sleeping with the hero of the tale or grabbing his crotch under the dinner table. And finally C: Twas a bit "choppy" for my taste. Allow me to define "choppy." By choppy I mean certain parts in Jean's life just suddenly come to an end and one brief line later, another part of his life begins and I was checking to see if I had missed a page or paragraph somehow. Also, some details about his life were very left out.. He had a brother Daniel who went traveling with him but it is not until page 282 that yet another brother is mentioned, Gabriel. I would have liked to know more of his family. (After all, your immediate family, the people you grow up with and that you love, determines much about who you are as a person. More information along these lines may have helped me "get to know" and understand Jean better.) Just suddenly mentioning your brother for the first time at a point in your journal when you are 45 years of age is just so sudden and "off." I don't know how else to explain it, but there it is.
I think this is a novel more for fans of James Bond.
February 11, 2011
I did read the e-book from Amazon, not a hard copy. 17th century gem trade and all the elements involved. I thought it was wonderful. For me, it was a rather an adventure-biography in sort of the same way as was Marco Polo's journeys in reading them many years ago. I believe it was Harold Lamb's accounts, and I never really forgot them. I think, also Theodora of Byzantium. Gentle, non-judgemental, historically accurate although things could go over my head without my recognizing every little thing. And the settings, famous people of the time, events and trends, attitudes, and a feeling for the daily life in various situations just flowed naturally. The story followed Tavernier from his boyhood dreams through his actually growing successes as a collector and dealer in fine gems gradually gaining international recognition and becoming the most sought after reputable of gems dealer by the trade and the world's notables. And it was a truly international and cosmopolitan picture of the age. Included also were descriptions, histories, drawings and lithographs of the stones and the places and mines from where they came. You're eye developed as to measuring quality and the all the factors involved in pricing and merchandising the top to the top in the gem business. And the dangers. Well written, researched, and never boring. Gentle style, never flamboyant although the characters were well presented. A fine reading experience as well as a good learning experience.
June 12, 2016
The French Blue is being promoted as the back story of the Hope diamond...but this book is so much more!
Through the telling of the life of Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Richard Wise gives us a glimpse into life in the 17th century. Sure, Wise covers the nobility that you all ready know about...but he also brings to life the daily life of the peasant, the retailer, the stone cutter and the miners he meets along the way.
It is no surprise that the son of a cartographer would develop a wanderlust, a need to explore the countries and far places his father charted. The 17th Century was a time of discovery, conquering new lands, Kings, Emperors, Shahs and Sheiks.
Tavernier starts his life serving in the courts of the nobility of the day, he is taken into their confidences and is trusted by those he meets...this reputation serves him well in the course of his life. These are the days when gem deals were done with a hand shake and Tavernier's proves himself. He is a seeker of knowledge, and most importantly an honest man.
This book has it all adventure, pirates, travel to foreign lands, incredible jewels from the earth and the collections of moguls...oh yeah did I mention it also has romance? Tavernier is not just a gem trader and traveler - he is a man. In his travels he romances several women and we meet the daughter of a Courtesan and a Sultan - the woman who is destined to be the love of his life.
In the instant world that is today - it is hard to imagine, but in the 17th Century a single trip could take six to seven years. From 1631 through 1668 Tavernier made six journey's to Persia and India, culminating in the voyage and adventure that brought the great blue diamond to the court of Louis XIV.
The author Richard W. Wise ventured through the "Voyages of Tavernier" - three volumes with dates and details of the journeys but not much about the man. The French Blue is his effort to fill in the gaps between the journeys, he has, with this book fleshed out Jean Baptiste - the man.
I was first introduced to Richard W. Wise when I picked up his book Secrets of the Gem Trade The Connoisseur's Guide to Precious Gemstones. As a Gemology student I was looking for information, specifics that would make me a smarter purchaser and aid me in my studies. What I found was a book of intriguing stories of gem trading, miners, and exotic locales. The art of the story teller is legend and doesn't come easily. Wise has taken his success with Secrets of the Gem Trade one step further and in this adventure story his imagination was released to travel the road and sail the seas with Jean Baptiste Tavernier. Well done!
December 21, 2012
I count myself lucky that I was invited to be part of the advance reader pool for this novel. It’s a rich tapestry of a story that drew me in as I read and stayed with me long after I finished. Before picking it up, I had never heard of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and hadn’t given the royal jewel collections of the world and how they got to be so much thought. Now, I have been both educated and enriched.
Tavernier was the son of a Parisian mapmaker in the 1600’s and grew up with wanderlust. As a young man, he traveled throughout Europe, served in the military, and learned several languages. He also found his calling as a dealer of fine gems. Over his lifetime, he made six voyages that each lasted several years, traveling to Persia and throughout the Orient, buying and selling gems and other fine merchandise. He visited mines and pearl diving operations, learning every aspect of the business of his trade. He also met and befriended royalty in several different countries, from the Shah of Persia, the Great Mogul of India, to Louis XIV of France. This is a fictional account of real events, painting a vivid picture of the 17th Century world and the foibles of its rich and powerful. Though the hardships of daily life are not explored, it does give insights into what life was like at the time, especially showing the excesses of the aristocracy in contrast to those who served them.
Meticulously researched and lovingly told, this is a novel of both history and adventure about a truly fascinating man. I enjoyed it from start to finish and give it a high recommendation. I’ll never be able to look at a huge gemstone without thinking about where it came from and its incredible history again.
Tavernier was the son of a Parisian mapmaker in the 1600’s and grew up with wanderlust. As a young man, he traveled throughout Europe, served in the military, and learned several languages. He also found his calling as a dealer of fine gems. Over his lifetime, he made six voyages that each lasted several years, traveling to Persia and throughout the Orient, buying and selling gems and other fine merchandise. He visited mines and pearl diving operations, learning every aspect of the business of his trade. He also met and befriended royalty in several different countries, from the Shah of Persia, the Great Mogul of India, to Louis XIV of France. This is a fictional account of real events, painting a vivid picture of the 17th Century world and the foibles of its rich and powerful. Though the hardships of daily life are not explored, it does give insights into what life was like at the time, especially showing the excesses of the aristocracy in contrast to those who served them.
Meticulously researched and lovingly told, this is a novel of both history and adventure about a truly fascinating man. I enjoyed it from start to finish and give it a high recommendation. I’ll never be able to look at a huge gemstone without thinking about where it came from and its incredible history again.
June 7, 2010
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a gem trader in the seventeenth century who completed six voyages through Persia and India and is perhaps most widely remembered for his discovery of The French Blue; an enormous blue diamond that was eventually recut into The Hope Diamond. Tavernier's life and astounding adventurers form the basis of Richard W. Wise's historical fiction work The French Blue: An Illustrated Novel of the Seventeenth Century.
Wise did a magnificent job in choosing the subject for his book, as Tavernier proves to be a fascinating protagonist. From the pearl divers of Persia to the diamond mines in India and the splendors of the court at Versailles, the story is ripe with action and information and peppered with romance and politics. The tale moves at a perfect pace and Wise's skill at research is equal to his mastery of prose, as the fictional and factual characters are seamlessly blended together - and sometimes nearly indistinguishable. The inclusion of figures and illustrations also add a wonderful seasoning to an expertly constructed work.
The French Blue was a highly enjoyable novel. Much like the gems described throughout the plot, this is a book that is eye-catching, intriguing, and overall a stunning treasure.
Wise did a magnificent job in choosing the subject for his book, as Tavernier proves to be a fascinating protagonist. From the pearl divers of Persia to the diamond mines in India and the splendors of the court at Versailles, the story is ripe with action and information and peppered with romance and politics. The tale moves at a perfect pace and Wise's skill at research is equal to his mastery of prose, as the fictional and factual characters are seamlessly blended together - and sometimes nearly indistinguishable. The inclusion of figures and illustrations also add a wonderful seasoning to an expertly constructed work.
The French Blue was a highly enjoyable novel. Much like the gems described throughout the plot, this is a book that is eye-catching, intriguing, and overall a stunning treasure.
June 1, 2010
There are a few books that you feel you have to rush through to see what will happen next. Then when you have finished, you wish that it could have continued. This is one of those books. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, was a traveler, merchant and gem trader extraordinaire. In the mid 1600's, he left his native France to travel to Persia, India, and the Far East to search for the world's rarest gems. During his six voyages, that spanned over thirty-six years, he met and traded with kings, princes, shahs, and, potentates. Among them Cardinal Richelieu, ministers Mazarin, and Colbert of France, The Great Mogul of India, Shah Jahan, of India, who built the Taj Mahal to honor his deceased wife, also the Shah of Persia, and of course, Louis XIV, the Sun King, of France. Jean sold to Louis XIV, the rarest gem in the world, The French Blue. A blue diamond weighing over 112 carats, uncut. Over the years this gem would be cut twice, eventually becoming what is now known as the Hope Diamond. Add in adventure and excitement in foreign lands and a smattering of romance that spans two continents and you have a perfect summer read.
September 9, 2011
This book should have been titled something more along the lines of "The Life and Adventures of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier" as it was more about him and only a little bit about the diamond known as the French Blue. I had expected a story about the diamond itself, which started out as the Great Blue but ultimately became the Hope Diamond. So it was disappointing that it took 500 some pages to even get to Jean-Baptiste acquiring the diamond. And the book ends with the sale of the diamond to King Louis IV of France. I wanted the rest of the story, from this point to the stone's display case at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Richard Wise writes well about gems and the gem trade, and it was interesting to learn of Jean-Baptiste's life, especially since he traveled so widely in an era when so few people ever went more than a few miles from their homes. But the title is so misleading that the book feels like a cheat - you come to it wanting to read about a famous gem and instead end up reading a biography of one man.
June 10, 2020
So many books, so little time. I had this book on my To Read list for 9 years, at the time it was not in my local library, and not available in my local bookstores. I kept it on my list as I have had a fascination with the Hope diamond since I was a young girl. I can clearly remember what it looked like and how it was displayed at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. Finally, I located this book on Thriftbooks for the princely sum of $3.49 I felt a bit guilty that Mr Wise would not get much for all his hard work writing this story. But since he is an international gem dealer, I am sure this was a labor of love and not a means of support. The story of the French Blue (now called The Hope Diamond) is covered in the last chapters of the book. The book is really about the man who sold it to Louis XIV, a fascinating adventurer and gem merchant to Persia and India over 30 years. A nicely written work of historical fiction that was worth the wait.
January 24, 2010
This is a historical fiction novel about a gem merchant during the 17th century who made several journeys to the east and discovered the diamond that would become the hope diamond. The stories are really interesting and based on several books published by Tavernier myself. It is a unique glimpse at the life of a European merchant during the 1600s. Its an enjoyable read and one that reads very quickly. However I thought the writing could have been better and there were several typos including as one reviewer has already mentioned there was an entire sentence missing between pages 133-134.
January 14, 2010
A thrilling, swashbuckling read. The main reason I gave it 4 stars is because there are occasional spelling errors (using "peeked" instead of "peaked" to describe a man's appearance, for example) and there's an entire line missing between two pages. Also, the narrative gets a bit disjointed towards the end, but the beginning and middle more than make up for it. If you like reading historical adventure, I'd highly recommend this.
September 4, 2012
Interesting historical novel about the man who discovered the Hope Diamond. Apparently based on his own books, bestsellers at the time. Enjoyed learning about different gemstones and the gem trade. Illustrations added a lot to the story. Ending seemed rather abrupt - I would have liked to know something about his life once he gained his peerage and settled down, but perhaps nothing more IS known.
August 9, 2016
A marvelous novel filled with little known facts and anecdotes about one of the world's oldest vocations, the gem trade.
I enjoyed traveling with Jean Baptiste through the adventurous days of the 17th Century.
I read Richard Wise's first book, Secrets of The Gem Trade and all I can say is that he has grown with practice.
Highly recommended to those interested in fact filled adventure yarns.
I enjoyed traveling with Jean Baptiste through the adventurous days of the 17th Century.
I read Richard Wise's first book, Secrets of The Gem Trade and all I can say is that he has grown with practice.
Highly recommended to those interested in fact filled adventure yarns.
July 23, 2014
This is a novel that has a great subject and is quite gripping despite a relatively flattish prose. A panorama of 17 century France and various Asian countries and following an extraordinary (and true in outline) tale I enjoyed it a lot though I wished the prose would have been less pedestrian. Still at least an A- and recomended
March 27, 2011
The story of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier,an adventurer, traveler and gem trader. Covers his life and travels and discovery of the gem known as 'The French Blue'(Hope Diamond). Set in the 17th century, each chapter is a tale of it's own. I especially liked the Middle East settings (Persia and India); eerie, mysterious and sumptuous and Paris before and during the reign of Louis XIV.
December 23, 2010
Gem dealers make their money during the negotiation, not on the quality of their goods. Richard Wise does a fine job of exposing the art of the deal. He also brings history to life and throws in a bit of romance. I found the book pretty intriguing. I have always wanted to know more about the man who unearthed the now named "Hope" diamond from India 400 years ago. An excellent read.
July 12, 2011
My weekend of the Fourth of July read---as a former hsitory teacher, it had a strong appeal to me and as someone fascinated by the "curse" of the Hope Diamond reading about the diamond from centuries before. The characters are stronged limned and I think most readers can relate to and engage with more than one of them. Lots of surprises in this book.
October 28, 2009
THE FRENCH BLUE swept me away, and I really enjoyed this historical novel. (Now after reading the title, I can't stop thinking about what can I learn from Jean-Baptiste Tavernier as a businessman; this guy had guts!)
May 9, 2013
"The French Blue is a great adventure. If you are interested in both a terrific, spellbinding read and learning the history of gems and one of the oldest trades known to man from one of the world's great experts, I can't recommend the book highly enough."
January 4, 2013
A rare diamond of an historical novel! Travel Asia and the Middle East with Jean Baptiste Tavernier in search of diamonds, rubies and pearls.
April 15, 2016
A pretty fascinating story--I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I might! I didn't really know anything at all about the Hope Diamond, and this definitely got me interested in learning more about its history. I'd also never heard of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier; that guy led quite a life! I loved all the engravings and sketches and diagrams included in this book, and especially liked that they appeared in the body of the book instead of in a separate appendix; they really added to the story.
I had a few issues with the book. First of all, the typos! Don't publishers have editors look things over before they release books anymore? I imagine not everybody will find this as distracting as I do, but I found the large number of typos very irritating. Also, I felt like I never really got a great sense of Tavernier's character, even though the entire book was written from his point of view, and Madeleine and Danush never quite seemed believable to me. On the other hand, I really loved several of the peripheral characters, like Pierre and Colbert.
Overall, the good definitely outweighs the bad. It's an engaging adventure tale, a love story, a history lesson and a travel book all rolled into one, and the presentation is fabulous, other than a clumsily photoshopped picture of the diamond on the front cover, which really doesn't do the stone justice. I can barely take my eyes off the photo of The Order of the Golden Fleece on the back cover though. All in all, a very enjoyable story, and I'll definitely be doing some more reading on the subject. Thanks so much, Mr. Wise!
Received this book through First Reads.
I had a few issues with the book. First of all, the typos! Don't publishers have editors look things over before they release books anymore? I imagine not everybody will find this as distracting as I do, but I found the large number of typos very irritating. Also, I felt like I never really got a great sense of Tavernier's character, even though the entire book was written from his point of view, and Madeleine and Danush never quite seemed believable to me. On the other hand, I really loved several of the peripheral characters, like Pierre and Colbert.
Overall, the good definitely outweighs the bad. It's an engaging adventure tale, a love story, a history lesson and a travel book all rolled into one, and the presentation is fabulous, other than a clumsily photoshopped picture of the diamond on the front cover, which really doesn't do the stone justice. I can barely take my eyes off the photo of The Order of the Golden Fleece on the back cover though. All in all, a very enjoyable story, and I'll definitely be doing some more reading on the subject. Thanks so much, Mr. Wise!
Received this book through First Reads.
February 27, 2010
This was a Goodreads giveaway and I am really glad that I won it! It was a great history lesson full of adventure.
The content, history, and grandeur of this novel makes me want to give it a four star rating. There were some great moments, like when Tavernier first traveled to Persia, when he met Madeline for the first time, or when he finally found the French Blue and succeeded in selling it. I found the last 3rd of the book hard to put down. I think it is amazing to know that this man lived and was associated with so many great people, he seems truly larger than life. To have a book that captures the 17th century is very ambitions and I think the author made a very great effort.
However, I couldn't give the book 4 stars because I didn't feel the writing was quiet developed enough. At times I felt that some facts about Tavernier's life were thrown in without really adding to the story. Also, sometimes events came to an abrupt conclusion, usually stating how the event would play out and finish in the future rather than weaving it into the story. I suppose it did, from time to time, appear to be a history lesson rather than a story.
That said I have to give the author credit for taking on a work of such magnitude. It was definitely a worth while read that offered a lot of great information!
The content, history, and grandeur of this novel makes me want to give it a four star rating. There were some great moments, like when Tavernier first traveled to Persia, when he met Madeline for the first time, or when he finally found the French Blue and succeeded in selling it. I found the last 3rd of the book hard to put down. I think it is amazing to know that this man lived and was associated with so many great people, he seems truly larger than life. To have a book that captures the 17th century is very ambitions and I think the author made a very great effort.
However, I couldn't give the book 4 stars because I didn't feel the writing was quiet developed enough. At times I felt that some facts about Tavernier's life were thrown in without really adding to the story. Also, sometimes events came to an abrupt conclusion, usually stating how the event would play out and finish in the future rather than weaving it into the story. I suppose it did, from time to time, appear to be a history lesson rather than a story.
That said I have to give the author credit for taking on a work of such magnitude. It was definitely a worth while read that offered a lot of great information!
January 10, 2011
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier traveled extensively throughout the Europe, the Middle East and Africa in search of gems worthy of his clientele, including King Louis XIV. Finally culminating in acquisition of the "French Blue" diamond of over 100 carats (which later was to become the Hope Diamond), Tavernier's search for the finest gem in the world was completed. Although the book is filled with vivid descriptions of the places and people Tavernier visited in his travels, this reader was distracted by glaring editing errors such as inappropriate punctuation and unfinished sentences. And while the book is titled "The French Blue", the gem is not even mentioned until page 475. Part travelogue, part diary, "The French Blue" is an interesting read but was not worth purchasing a bound volume at full price. Wait for the paperback.
June 27, 2011
I liked the book but it was a little slow moving at times. The cultural references were interesting as were the gem trading references. However, there was a lot of detail involved in the writing that was sometimes kind of confusing. Once you got involved in the story, it was great, but the tempo of the book kept on speeding up and slowing down so it was hard to keep the momentum going. All in all though the book was very interesting.
December 13, 2010
This was one of the best books I've read in a while. It had everything-travel, intrigue, love, and the global search for beautiful gems. An intriguing story written well with a lot of good characters.
May 3, 2010
A wonderful adventure story, blending fact with fiction. Anyone interested in early gem trading will enjoy this journey.
October 7, 2010
Fluff!
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