After the previous discussions from Lord Myron and her Grace the Duchesse de Montausier , it came to me that it would be a wonderful idea to start a thread to share books we have read and loved about eighteenth century.

Personally I'm always on the lookout for some new and unexpected literary gem to consume - mainly on my terribly pedestrian and horribly twenty-first century trips to and from the office. Either of the period or about the period, they're my obsession of the moment.

Any recommendations forthcoming?

updated by @henri-louis-marie-de-rohan: 06 Oct 2016 06:04:00AM

For so far I've read Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette, which I realy loved. The title in English is I believe Marie Antoinette: the Journey. Which is realy true, it realy is like you make a journey with Marie Antoinette. From het birth to her death. ( And even a little part after her death) Realy a book I recomenned, though you probably know it already.I also finished reading The lost king of France, which is about Marie Antoinette's second son which gives a good impression about the life of him at court but mainly his life in the tower. It also tells you a lot about what happened after his death. Especially all those people who said they were the lost king of France. It's a realy sad story about a 4 year old boy who's life is set upside down ((is that a normal expression in English too? I don't know. )) I realy recommend it.I'm about to read '' The court society '' which is a sociological study about the monarchy and court society of France. Honestly, it looks kind of boring to me even though I am realy interested in it. However, due to the subject I decided to give it a change.I'm also about to read the memoirs of madame Campane, the letters between MA and her mother, and '''secret memoirs of princess de Lamballe''Hope it helped!

Galantes Versailles is a german book by a FEMALE historian. I do not think there is an english version. However, this woman has doen a great. she even made me smile and laugh at times

What is the name of the FEMALE writer then? And, I forgot to mention, I bought a book about Versailles when I was there. It has a lot of information about each rooms, maps.. And so on. I like to look in it sometimes.

I wish I could read German - or French, for that matter. I think it limits my reading on Versailles and eighteenth century France in general so so much.One of my favourite books on Versailles is Nancy Mitford's 'Madame De Pompadour'. It is very light-hearted and casual, woefully historically inaccurate, but compelling, and managed to really humanise the eighteenth century and these often-remote historical figures.At the moment, I am continuing chronologically, reading 'Madame du Barry: The Wages of Love' by Joan Haslip. It's incredibly sympathetic to du Barry, but quite fascinating all the same.For those who haven't yet, I beyond-highly recommend ' Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution' by Caroline Weber. A wonderful, wonderful book for anyone interested in the fashions of the period and the life of Marie Antoinette. Sometimes it goes a bit crazy-theoretical (did a teenage Marie Antoinette really look at the Goebelin tapestries during her hand-over to France and philosophise that they were a metaphorical allusion to her being stripped of her clothes and manipulated by fashion? I highly doubt it) but generally it is fantastically researched and well-balanced. Plus it has the best subtitle of any book I have read in the past decade.I also loved 'Dancing to the Precipice: Lucie De La Tour Du Pin and the French Revolution' by Caroline Moorehead, which takes us through Louis XV, XVI, XVIII, Napoleon and the Terror in the eyes of the Marquise de la Tour du Pin. Fantastic read on a truly amazing life.

I really want to hanker down and read Campan's memoirs.I also liked 'The Journey', although I've lost my copy somewhere in my many moves over the past few years. I'm not the biggest Antonia Fraser fan but I thought it was great.If you enjoyed that, I think you'd enjoy 'Queen Of Fashion' immensely.

I read a fabulous architectural history of Versailles by Ian Dunlop. It focuses entirely on the architectural history of the palace and gardens - the history only comes in as it informs and affects the architecture. I'm not sure where/if you can still buy this, I got it very VERY second hand and dog-eared, but it's great.

Ohh, yes, thank you! I saw that one before but wanted to read the Journey first! I will go get it for sure!

YES! Omg! That would be so awesome!

Your lucky!

I just "consumed" (oh... 21th century horror..., lets just say i read and was overwhelmed by) Voltaire's satirical novel "Candide" (Ok, i admit... it was a (rather splendid) Dutch translation (yes, yes, I do AM lazy hehe))."Candide" attacks the passivity inspired by Leibniz's philosophy of optimism. Amazingly Voltaire wrote this little jewel at the age of 64... Arouet attacks all the leading institutes of that time (being the Aristocracy and the Church) with a sharp and satirical pen. And even now, the themes he describes still look amazingly actual.For all who are involved with 'the Courts' and the history of the 18th century... If until now you have only been gazing in utter (teenage) admiration at the Splendor of the 'Royals', the Wealth and Richness they radiated... If until now you only have been accepting all the Religious Dogma's we have been targeted with...Well, its time you read this little gem and set your first step into the Age of Enlightenment... Cela est bien dit, rpondit Candide, mais il faut cultiver notre jardin. - "All this is well, but It is up to us to cultivate our garden"No Future without knowledge of the Past

The classics are always best - for the same reason, I'd strongly recommend anyone to read Les Liaisons Dangereuses (I have to read it in English, alas!). Of its time and yet still up-to-date. The film is superb, but the book (as usual) is better.That said, I find myself inevitably skipping from Merteuil to Merteuil and near enough ignoring the other characters. A real joy.

Congratulations, Monsieur le Prince! An excellent idea...but you did not realize the consequences, knowing that I could answer to it: is ANYONE interested in my TOP HUNDRED list of french books ( in french, of course) about, or of, the 18th century?When I'm on this subject , i might be hard to stop:)I agree with you about Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and I agree with Pekel on Candide.My prefered book about Marie-Antoinette is her biography by Stefan Zweig: not a recent book, certainly, but the moving and intelligent book of a great WRITER.To add my personal touch, I absolutely need to mention The Story of My Life, by Giacomo Casanova. Nearly everything's in it. He's a Jack-of-All-Trades, he knows how to tell stories, how to portrait people of all sorts, he is fast, clever, witty...Well, he's not respectable in the least, of course, but who cares now?All his repeated womanizing may not be appreciated by everyone, but there is much more than this in the story! and his book is so full of life, and such a wide survey of his time in all Europe, that it is fascinating.It was written in french, but has been translated in all languages. The english version of John Hopkins University Press, translated from the Unabridged Version of the original, is the most recommandable. BUT... BUT... i must admit it's quite an investment, financial and mainly personal: 6 double volumes in paperback! thousands of pages! it's not a week end read!i won't lie, I did not read it from start to finish...I browse...I re-read...So please, if I convinced you, buy only one volume to begin with ( not necessarily the first volume)...If you 're not satisfied, i won't refund you the complete works!

Dear Pekel,how I agree with you!I remember vividly ( very vividly) my first reading of Candide: I had found the book in my father's library, it was a bibliophile's red leather- bound book, with libertine illustrations...Much more exciting than an x-rated movie:))) I read it three times, and not only for the pictures!Let's change subject, though. Do you know your compatriot, le prince de Ligne? he was so famous all over Europe in the end of 18th Century, renowned for his charm, wit and conversation. He wrote many books on completely different topics, War, Gardens, Theater...he wrote memoirs, Portraits and Anecdotes, Aphorisms...I like to read him ( he wrote in french, seems like they all did in those days).

Athnas - The Life of Louis XIV's Mistress - The Real Queen of France by Lisa Hilton. I mentioned it somewhere in these forums a while back. It's about the "Age Montspan", the birth of Versailles, Le Notre's plans for the parks of Versailles, intrigues, embezzlement, Fetes, Gambling, passion, fashion and sorcery . It's an incredible read I think you will like it very much!

That one sounds very interesting Joan, thanks for sharing! I want that one now too

Ah I have read Zweig's book also. I'm more Quinze than Seize when it comes to my Louis'. I liked the fact that he didn't seem in love with Marie Antoinette, the way many of her biographers are. He is very aware of her shortcomings and the problems her 'reign' caused for the monarchy.Please do furnish us with your list, I am intrigued to see! And a hundred book recommendations is far more than I ever imagined!!

I absolutely agree! I remember starting Madame Bovary one evening and the next thing I knew it was dawn. I read the whole thing in one sitting, and then picked it up and read it again.Never mind nineteenth century France, Madam Bovary still managed to shock me, jaded twenty-first century dilettante that I am (or at least affect to be)

On my vacation to Belgium and France from which I returned a week ago, I visited the Chteau de Vves near Houyet-Celles which is linked to the Marquise De La Tour du Pin (a beautiful chteau by the way, still furnished with original 18th century furniture).Quite nice I just read the Prince de Carpgne recommending a book, because at the chateau I bought the original French version of just that book ("Mmoires de la marquise De La Tour du Pin - Journal d'une femme de cinquante ans, 1778-1815"). I just started it, and so far, I already truly love it.

Your Grace, please report back on your reading! Although I am sure I will adore it (and lambast myself daily for not having grasped the French language beyond Starbucks orders and a few fashion-y descriptive phrases).With greatest affection and solicitude always I remain as ever your devoted friend &c.

While reading Antonia Fraser's "Marie Antoinette - The Journey", I also read "The Secret Letters of Marie Antoinette" by Margaret Anne Macleod. This book contains the letters written by Marie Antoinette, her mother, and the Comte de Mercy between 1770 and 1780, and whenever in Antonia Fraser's book a reference was made to a letter, I read the complete letter in this book which was, as you can imagine, quite insightful.Without context this book is not so easy to read, because it gives not much background, but for many of us this is not be a problem, since we already know a lot of the background. In my opinion a "must-have" for those of us interested in the life of Marie Antoinette.