Josephine: A Life of the Empress
Aug 2000 · Macmillan + ORM
3.7star
3 reviewsreport
Ebook
420
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About this ebook
“An intimate, richly detailed, and candid portrait. . . . a mastery of period manners more often found in the best historical fiction.” —Kirkus Reviews
Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie, born a Creole on the island of Martinique in the French West Indies, became one of the best known and most envied women who ever lived. Sent to France to make an advantageous marriage to a young aristocrat, her naivete and lack of education left her ill prepared to deal with the sophisticated—if decadent—world of pre-Revolutionary Paris. Treated cruelly by her shallow young husband, her life had become a nightmare during the Terror, in which she was imprisoned and almost lost her life. It was during this period that she honed the skills of manipulation and seduction that would lead her from the dungeons of the terror into the beds of the post-Revolutionary powerbrokers, including the Corsican corporal who would conquer Europe.
As the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Josephine was assumed to be a worthy consort for her astounding husband, a woman as beautiful, wise and altogether remarkable as he was charismatic, brilliant, and invincible in battle.
Yet the truth was much darker. For the eight-year marriage between Josephine and Napoleon had long been corroded by infidelity and abuse. Far from the love match previous biographers have described, author Carolly Erickson’s Napoleon and Josephine were the ultimate pragmatists, drawn together by political necessity.
A fascinating portrait of an immensely complex and ultimately tragic woman.
“Carolly Erikson tells [this story] with all the flair it deserves . . . Exquisite writing.” —Houston Chronicle
Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie, born a Creole on the island of Martinique in the French West Indies, became one of the best known and most envied women who ever lived. Sent to France to make an advantageous marriage to a young aristocrat, her naivete and lack of education left her ill prepared to deal with the sophisticated—if decadent—world of pre-Revolutionary Paris. Treated cruelly by her shallow young husband, her life had become a nightmare during the Terror, in which she was imprisoned and almost lost her life. It was during this period that she honed the skills of manipulation and seduction that would lead her from the dungeons of the terror into the beds of the post-Revolutionary powerbrokers, including the Corsican corporal who would conquer Europe.
As the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Josephine was assumed to be a worthy consort for her astounding husband, a woman as beautiful, wise and altogether remarkable as he was charismatic, brilliant, and invincible in battle.
Yet the truth was much darker. For the eight-year marriage between Josephine and Napoleon had long been corroded by infidelity and abuse. Far from the love match previous biographers have described, author Carolly Erickson’s Napoleon and Josephine were the ultimate pragmatists, drawn together by political necessity.
A fascinating portrait of an immensely complex and ultimately tragic woman.
“Carolly Erikson tells [this story] with all the flair it deserves . . . Exquisite writing.” —Houston Chronicle
Ratings and reviews
3.7
3 reviews
Jenna S
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August 26, 2021
Oh wow, where do I start? This is an awful biography. Full stop. She makes assumptions, leaves events out. Puts events out of order, uses debunked memoirs as primary sources. There are so many factual errors. Read Kate Williams' "Ambition and Desire" instead if you want a factual account of Joesphine's life. Read any other biography. Skip this one. I don't understand how someone with a doctorate in history (admittedly medieval) from fricken Columbia can be so laissez-faire about writing. Check your sources is the first thing you learn.
A Google user
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Wonderfully written book, the captivating piece of French history, the author presented with clarity and eloquence. It's hard to put down.
A Google user
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Very good, read just before going to Paris and I was able to see the landmarks.
About the author
A Ph.D. in medieval history from Columbia University led Carolly Erickson to six years as a college professor, then to a career as a full-time writer. She lives in Hawaii.
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