France Memoir

Saint Louis: A King's Obsession with Relics, Magic, and Spells is a richly detailed exploration of the life and reign of King Louis IX of France, a monarch whose legacy is steeped in both sanctity and the supernatural. This book delves into the hidden aspects of Louis IX’s life, revealing a ruler driven not only by his devout Christian faith but also by an insatiable hunger for mystical knowledge. King Louis IX, canonized as Saint Louis after his death, is often remembered for his piety.

From the acclaimed biographer of explorers Magellan, Columbus, and Francis Drake comes a unique exploration of life and influence of Jules Verne, the novelist whose mind spun the greatest adventures ever told and whose daring and prescient imagination sparked a lasting transformation of modern society and technology, inspiring everyone from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kurt Vonnegut to Jeff Bezos.

Louis de Rouvroy, Duke of Saint-Simon (1675-1755) provides the world with unparalleled insight both into the rule of France's Sun King, Louis XIV, and the tantalizing intrigues of the monarch's inner circle. Saint-Simon notes in his Memoirs that it was his love of reading - and of history in particular - that sparked his interest in recording his own observations. The length and breadth of his notes were undoubtedly made the more possible because he kept his writings secret.

This rapidly aging bird flew the coop - via TWA! I left my tear-soaked, empty nest in the California dust, and joyously migrated to Paris, France! I took to the air with two bulging K-Mart wide-belly suitcases; one seriously emaciated bank account; an excess of self-confidence; and last, but not least, my little "hotdog" and main squeeze...Sport Dachshund!

Marion and Huguette Müller’s family was torn apart when the Nazis invaded France in 1940. After their mother was deported to Auschwitz, the sisters fled to the small Alpine ski resort village of Val d'Isère, where they were rescued by a brave young doctor. Through intrepid reporting and meticulous research, Whitehouse traces the story of the Müller sisters, solving decades-old mysteries in her attempt to deliver both closure and justice. With skill and urgency, Whitehouse raises moral questions at the heart of the tragedy of the Shoah.

Some months before, my husband, three children and I had casually unzipped and discarded our comfortable Australian lifestyle and slipped on life in the country of haute couture. On arrival, there was no celebrity designer waiting for us, ready to pin and fit our new life to us; so we threw it on and wore it loosely, tightly, uncomfortably, any old how—until we learned for ourselves how to trim, hem and stitch à la française. This book is testament to the joyous, but not always easy, journey that we took along the way.

Joan of Arc is one of the most astounding heroins in French history. Her achievements leave anyone who knows her story shaking his head in amazed wonder. A small peasant girl born in Domrémy, she said she was visited by the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine, who instructed her to support the King Charles VII to recover France from English domination. It was the end of the Hundred Years' war, and the French army was miserable, almost defeated, and hopeless; but the young maiden obeyed the voice that spoke to her and took arms, eventually leading a galvanized army to astounding victories. She was later caught by a coalition allied with the English; the ensuing story of her trial and eventual execution at the stake is one of the most distressing episodes of history, with lies and manipulation forcing a political agenda against all evidence.

The bar was high after the glorious reign of the Sun King. Louis XV, his successor, had a difficult time driving the country through religious disputes, intellectual shifts and economical hardness. This eventually led to a steep economic decline, which played an important role in the reaction of the French people against the monarchy, and eventually gave way to the French Revolution.

Edward Thomas was perhaps the most beguiling and influential of the First World War poets. Now All Roads Lead to France is an account of his final five years, centered on his extraordinary friendship with Robert Frost and Thomas’s fateful decision to fight in the war. The book evokes an astonishingly creative moment in English literature: a generation that included W. B. Yeats, Ezra Pound, and Rupert Brooke.

Louis Philippe (1773-1850) is France's first "constitutional monarch", having being properly elected by the National Assembly. He lived through the French Revolution, during which he saw his brother and sister-in-law, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, guillotined by extreme revolutionaries. Then, Napoleon Bonaparte seized the throne, declared himself emperor, and began the conquest of Europe; after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, France welcomed Louis Philippe back as an elected King.

Louis-Charles Bourbon, or the Dauphin, never actually reigned, but became either a symbol of martyrdom or the object of one of the most successful acts of substitution ever performed. He enjoyed a charmed early childhood in the palace of Versailles, as the heir of the most powerful throne in Europe; when the French Revolution unfolded in all its horror, his family was incarcerated, and the orphaned boy-King had to endure the hostility and abuse of a nation.

At the climax of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. When the young Louis XVII, Louis XVI's son, died in prison in June 1795, Louis XVIII succeeded his nephew as titular King. His reign was marked by exile, first because of the Revolution, and then of Napoleon, who set to conquer Europe and become Emperor of the French - before a coalition defeated him and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.

More than two centuries after her death, Marie-Antoinette continues to fascinate historians, writers, and filmmakers. She was born into royalty, and a world of immense privilege and power. At age 14, she married the one who would become Louis XVI, King of France; when he made her a queen, she was universally adored. But afterwards, her extravagant lifestyle turned public opinion against her, eventually participating in the crumbling of the already discredited monarchy into a maelstrom of revolution, disaster and tragedy.

This collection of audiobooks will help you understand a crucial part of the history of French monarchy. For each king, you will find a detailed description of the style of his reign and his political achievements narrated in a lively way. Portraits of Henri IV, Louis XI, Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVIII.

The Sun King's reputation still stands on his reign, rich in art and literature, his brilliant court and invincible armies. He was in power for 72 years, the longest reign of any monarch in European history; he made France the leading European power, set up the lavish palace of Versailles to be sure the rebellious nobility would always be before his eyes, and consolidated a system of absolute monarchical rule in France that endured until the French Revolution.

Louis VI was a warrior king, but at the end of his reign, his weight had become so great that it had become difficult for him to lead in the field - hence his nickname "The Fat". He was a strong and competent ruler, who managed to considerably reinforce his power in the kingdom, and largely contributed to the subsequent centralization of authority in France. Learn about his soar to power, his struggles with the "robber barons", and his successes in alliances and coalitions.

Henry IV of France, also known as the "Good King Henry", was King of France from 1589 to 1610. Born a Catholic but raised a Protestant, he barely escaped assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, and later led Protestant forces against the royal army, before being called to the French succession upon the death of his cousin Henry III.

Louis XI: this rebellious king was first called "The Prudent", in reference to his cunning ways, and then, "The Universal Spider" when it appeared that his ceaseless intrigues had turned into full-blown webs of plots and conspiracies. Learn how the Cunning King of France was able to eliminate his rebellious vassals, expand royal power, and strengthen the economic development of his country, all through the power of isolating treaties, precise timing, and intense diplomatic activities.

Im Jahr 1861 drang die Polizei eines französischen Dorfes in das Haus von Martin Dumollard im Wald ein. In seinem Innern herrschte das Chaos, in dem man sich Wege durch Berge von blutverschmierten Kleidungsstücken, die an manchen Stellen bis zur Decke reichten, bahnen musste. Die Beamten gingen davon aus, dass der mysteriöse Dienstmädchenräuber eine Frau getötet hatte, bei seinen anderen Versuchen jedoch gescheitert war. Doch nun wurde immer deutlicher, dass zwischen den Verbrechen, von denen sie wussten, und denen, die wirklich begangen wurden, eine enorme Kluft bestand.

Бонапарты — прославленная и могущественная династия XIX века. Они возвели новую империю и сделали Францию самым влиятельным государством в Европе, столицей науки, литературы и моды. Представители рода обрели особую славу, власть и богатства, став могущественным кланом, который покорил всю Европу. Несмотря на многочисленные войны, французы чтят Бонапартов, благодаря прогрессивному кодексу Наполеона и передовым реформам внутри страны, многие из которых действуют до сих пор.