Louis and Antoinette

by Vincent Cronin

Book Overview

Historically called frivolous pleasure-seekers which cost them their heads, Louis XVI of France and his Queen, Antoinette, here emerge in a quite different light. Against the backdrop of a glittering court, their relationship and personalities unfold toward the violent upheavals of revolution in 1789. This brilliantly researched dual biography celebrates two of history's least known and most consistently misrepresented royal figures.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688003311
• ISBN13: 9780688003319
• Release Date: January 1975
• Publisher: Morrow
• Length: 445 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Narrative while still maintaining credibility. Wonderful read!!

Cronin is a genius. I originally chose this older title because I am writing a historiography paper on Louis XVI, and Cronin's book sounded like a great example of pro-monarchist sugar coating. However, I was shocked by the detail and ingenuity of his arguments. Cronin produces sources and events that most histories of the Royal couple completely exclude. The writing style is incredibly smooth and narrative, well suited to the casual reader, or those interested in historiography. For hard scholars however, Cronin's lack of detailed citation may seem troublesome (he used no in text citations of any kind, preferring to simply list the used works in the back under the chapter in which they are used.)

An excellent dual biography!

Vincent Cronin's "Louis and Antoinette" still shines among the top biographies of the tragic royal couple. Like Nesta Webster, Cronin understood that they needed to be studied together in order to understand their decisions, their mistakes, their loves and their martyrdom. This book especially excels as a portrait of Louis, demolishing the myth of his impotence and sexual malfuctioning. Rather than the indifferent husband and incompetent king, Cronin builds a strong case for Louis as being very loving and loved, by his wife and by his people. As for Antoinette, Cronin explores in detail her charities and activites as a mother - a dynamic, busy woman, not a bored and decadent consort. I loved this book; it is one of my favorite biographies, which I highly recommend.