Tea at Trianon: In Paperback

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, March 30, 2009

In Paperback

Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors has been available in paperback for about a month now. I am glad for Catherine, who has been a great friend to this blog and to me. As every writer knows, it is an immense help to receive encouragement and support from other writers. I am also pleased that some words from my original review have been included among the editorial reviews on both Amazon.com and Penguin.com. It is heartening to share in the success of one's friends! Share

3 comments:

Stephanie A. Mann said...: Speaking of authorship, have you seen last weekend's edition of the Wall Street Journal? It includes an editorial by a principal of Writer's Representatives LLC on last year's settlement of a class-action law suit for copyright infringement against Google. You might take a look at the editorial, "Google's Book Settlemetn Is a Ripoof for Authors", linked below:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123819841868261921.html; March 30, 2009 at 9:48:00 AM EDT
Passages to the Past said...: I loved, loved, loved this book! I can't wait to see what she's working on next!; March 30, 2009 at 11:18:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Thanks, Stephanie, I'll check it out!

Yes, Amy, Catherine's new novel is awaited by many!; March 30, 2009 at 2:04:00 PM EDT