(no subject)

[tsukidelacroix.livejournal.com]

Recommend me good books, please? <33


I am terribly craving for history books. And my mom also wants me to make a huge list of books, but I don't know what else to put there - I have so little, so far! And I really feel like reading, what, fifteen books from here to the end of summer!
I really want books that are related to the eras I like (and that this community has to do with). That is, Baroque, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian eras, etc. I want books that are mostly about fashion and lifestyle of, but I also like good mystery, vampire, super-really-morbid and erotic novels that have to do with the eras I like. Since this community only has to do with the French revolution, I'd appreciate it if you recommended me any novel or book that has to do with it.
If you're knowledgeable in books and/or give me your input in this, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much!


Soon to be x-posted to a bazillion communities.

Comments

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

If I could recommend one English-language, non-fiction book on the Revolution that's accessible to a general readership yet accurate and original? Timothy Tackett's When the King Took Flight, without a doubt. As for "fashion and lifestyle" books, sorry I can't be of more help, but all the books I know that fall into that category at all are in French. But if you like political history at all--and you must to some degree, if you're interested in the French Revolution--you can't go wrong with Tackett.

For non-fiction, especially for mystery, Susanne Alleyn's Aristide Ravel series (which technically opens with Game of Patience, although the author now recommends starting the series with the third and newest book, Cavalier of the Apocalypse, prequel to the other two). Her other book, a rewriting of A Tale of Two Cities along more historically accurate lines is also not bad. Her website, by the way, can be found here: http://susannealleyn.com

[tsukidelacroix.livejournal.com]

I looked up When The King Took Flight and whoa, I'm really tempted to atke it now!
I like it when books are almost absolutely accurate in terms of history, so I'll probably pick up some books by Susanne Alleyn one of these days.

Thank you!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome. I'm always happy to help with anything Revolution-related.

[tomboy-typist.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately not really much to do with the French Revolution, but The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michel Faber, is a delicious faux-victorian novel set in the Edwardian era. There are a lot of depictions of clothes and of lifestyle throughout various echelons of society.

I know it's a very common pick, but did you ever pick up Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel? (This one is definitely French Revolution related, at least, with a Royalist take on the events.)

Alexandre Dumas' Twenty Years Later deals with events preceding the French Revolution. Chanderlos de Laclos' Dangerous Liaisons deals with that period as well and is heavily centered on lifestyle and intrigue.

Off the top of my head, that's all I can come up with. I hope this is helpful.

[elwen-rhiannon.livejournal.com]

"Alexandre Dumas' Twenty Years Later deals with events preceding the French Revolution"

I think you should add: MUCH preceding...

[platonicdesire.livejournal.com]

If you like the Victorian Era you should try The Crimson Petal and the White (Michel Faber)and Fingersmith (Sarah Waters). Sarah Waters has written a few books about this era :).

Oh and if you are interested in Marie Antoinette, I can also recommend you the biography by Antontia Fraser!

[lacommunarde.livejournal.com]

These are two fictionalized novels of the French Revolution, but nonetheless very enjoyable (well, debatable of the latter one in the end of it): Quatrevingt-Treize or Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo, published in 1874, so it's also code for the Paris Commune of 1871, as Victor Hugo has a tendency to do that (Les Miserables has a ten-page segment just about the barricades of 1848 when the barricades in the book are in 1832). Ninety-Three is considered one of his best works, and well, he has this amazing scene in the middle of it that just is amazing.

The second fictionalized novel that I would recommend is A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. Compared with other novels about the French Revolution out there, it's not terrible, though it does rely a little too much on rumor. However, it is still one of the better novels out there about the time period.

Some would recommend Tanith Lee's The Gods are Thirsty. Please, whatever you do, don't read this. You will be confused (the author certainly is, and whenever this author gets confused, she reflects it by making her protagonist drunk. You will end the book halfway through despising all the characters).

As for non-fiction about fashion or day-to-day life? Well, you can try The Making of Revolutionary Paris by David Garrioch. Also, try getting Keith Baker's The Old Regime and the French Revolution, which is a book of speeches, pamphlets, petitions and essays from the time period, as well as Peter Jones' The French Revolution in Social & Political Perspective, which has a lot of the historiography and the historiographical debates.