Customer Reviews

Enchantress: Marthe Bibesco and Her World

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marthe Bibesco was member of the Romanian nobility. Acquainted with the vast network of aristocracy that existed before its demise in World War I, she was celebrated in the pre-war Salons of Paris for her literary talent and her beauty. Marthe partook of Proust's world and knew many of those who influenced characters in his great opus. During the first world war she worked as a red cross volunteer in Bucharest. She became a friend and advisor to British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and supported Romania's support of the Allied forces in both World Wars. In later life, she lost her wealth and her family in the communist take over of Romania. Marthe continued to support herself through her prolific writing and became a confidante to De Gaulle in the last part of her life. Marthe's life is worth a close examination because it spans the decaying world of monarchy and princelings to the Cold War of communism and democracy. Despite the turbulence of her life, her literary fame and awards, and her involvement with European politicians she is virtually unknown today in the West. This book is the first English language biography of her and will, with hope, redress that problem

Like Romania, her country of origin, Marthe Bibesco was beautiful, complex, and hard done by. A truly gifted intellectual, adored by aristocrat and adventurer alike, she also inspired loyalty with her courage in wartime. Yet as I read through this pleasant, well written biography I realized that perhaps the lion's share of Marthe's charm was her privilege and access. It isn't that her life isn't interesting, although she herself at this remove of time can only come through as a whisper of her full force. But take away the palaces and noble lovers and this tale loses a deal of its individual flavor. I'd have enjoyed more excerpts from her writings; perhaps it's time for those to be rediscovered, and she can be celebrated as writer not princess. They're both hard lives to lead, in a way, and at least the former role wouldn't smack of fairy-tale.

In November, 1920, my grandfather was born, son of the cousin of Princess Marthe's husband, Prince Gheorghe Bibescu. I found 'Enchantress' an absolutely fascinating book, as Sutherland has managed to open a gateway of knowledge about my family history, much of the personal details peviousely inknown to me. I never truely realised the fame in literary circles that my grandfather's aunt held.
Princess Marthe Bibescu led a fascinating life. She experienced extreme wealth, power and fame, as well as that where she was forced to write to earn a living for her family, under the devastating regime of communism. Brought into a world of glittering jewels and fine titles by her fun loving princely husband, Marthe had to dismiss her natural humbleness, but failed, leading to a stormy marriage. Christine Sutherland's work should be commended. She has entered the minds of Romanian elite, and brings to us a look in af the lives of some of Europe's most influencial people. The details within the book are astounding, everything is described as if the author was standing with the princess, almost as a hand maiden every step of the way. Only she has the ability to provide us a gateway into a life of desperation, a life of privelage, and a life wasted with a quest to find eternal happiness. A truly dramtic life, both blessed and cursed, is uncovered within 300 pages of prose that intrigues the mind. After the first magical page, you would be mad to not see why the book is titled "Enchantress".
I'm not a critic. I'm just a relative of this extraordinary princess, who thuroughly enjoyed a compilation of humourous, dramatic, and tragic tales of a life of one of Europe's most substancial ladies. A book that will open the eyes and the mind.

The life story of this remarkable roumanian writer, Marthe Bibesco - a muse present at the theater of major events in 20th century Europe - unfolds a vivid picture of the aristocracy, the refined belle époque and the exquisitely cosmopolitan intelligentsia to which she belonged and in which she flourished. The reader will certainly relish the impeccable account of events, the love stories, the war stories, the society gossip of celebrities and the descriptions of social and political gatherings where history was shaped and, although he might come to love and admire this intelligent, courageous and successful woman, he will not get to know her as a writer who covered a vast range of subjects (and at times wrote under a different name for a different public) because very few quotes from her work are to be found in this biograpfy and excerpts from her diary and from her letters reveal more facts than feeling. It remains to be seen whether the nostalgia of the old or the curiosity of the young are sufficiently roused through Sutherland's book and whether Bibesco will be read and acclaimed again.

Marthe Bibesco was one of those amazing women that time has since forgotten (though now the people of Romania have created a study center in her name in one of her old homes). Like Voltaire in a previous age, her correspondence with the movers and shakers in the world between the wars was nothing short of amazing. A friend to all, a diplomat, an aviatrix and intrepid traveler, an impoverished refugee from her own country living on her wits and her writing talent in Paris, she was on everyone's guest list. She probably did more in a year than the rest of us do in a lifetime! Written in a lady-like fashion without any intimate detail, she has one mesmerized by her many loves and relationships. An enjoyable read for the history for sure, but also a compelling portrait of the fates of the now long vanished aristocracy that came to an end when the Iron Curtain fell.

This is a fascinating biography about one of the movers and shakers of the early 20th century. Probably the biggest question that many people might have is who was Princess Marthe Bibesco and why does she deserve a biography. Imagine someone who combined in one person the status in the aviation community of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the literary ability of Pearl Buck, the glamour of Norma Shearer, the social status of Alice Longworth Roosevelt, and who presided over an international salon so impressive that it was nicknamed the second League of Nations. That was Marthe Bibesco, It was these qualities that made caused her fellow countrymen to acclaim her as the most influential Romanian woman of the 20th century.

A great deal of Princess Bibesco's influence was based on who she knew, she was related to most of the important people in Romania from birth. It was rare not to have a cabinet minister or an ambassador in the family. Throughout her life she was at the center of things and friends included the royal families of Sweden, Spain, Germany and Romania, most of the literary elite of France, Proust and Jean Cocteau in particular, Ramsey MacDonald, Winston Churchill, and finally Charles de Gaulle. Her husband was the leading proponent of aviation in Romanian which only added to her glamour

Although always socially prominent in her own country, Marthe burst onto the international literary scene with the publication of the work, The Eight Paradises, a collection of impressions during her 1905 journey to Persia with her husband, who was on a diplomatic mission. This book, written her first language, French, secured her position as a writer, which lasted through the 1970s.

While very cosmopolitan, Princess Bibesco was very much a Romanian. In early 20s, she published Isvor, the Land of the Willows, a book which explored the folk and pagan beliefs of the peasants of her native land. There was also her work to restore Mogassoaia, a 17th century palace and her country establishment and designed to be a celebration of the Brancovenesc style and the traditional Romanian hospodar culture. De Gaulle read Isvor while en route to a state visit to Romanian in the 1960s and pronounced insightful in the nature of the country. Mogassoaia remains one of the leading tourist destinations. It houses a museum that celebrates the very culture that Marthe was attempting to preserve. Her efforts, in the literary and sphere or historical restoration remain important components of her legacy. While persona non grata during the Communist period, her legacy is very much appreciated in today's Romania.

World War II and the communist takeover of Romania were disasters for Princess Bibescu, although she was better equipped than most to support herself (and her family) during her last 30 years. She continued to write, maintain a wide-ranging correspondence and lecture on a variety of topics almost until the day of her death. Oddly enough, for someone who had lived a life that included knowing most of the prominent people in royal, political, religious, literary and aviation circles, several harrowing experiences during World War I when she ran a hospital in occupied Bucharest and the difficulties she faced from World War II on, she never appears to have contemplated writing her memoirs, at least in full

This biography by Christine Sutherland does a great deal to recall the spirit of Princess Bibescu, however it does have one serious, though not fatal shortfall. Marthe was clearly a fascinating character, her wide range of acquaintances is testimony enough. What is lacking is an exploration of what made her so fascinating. There is no evidence of what must have been considerable conversational capabilities (in several languages) and just what she did that set her apart from the run of the mill society hostess. While not providing us with the woman, Ms Sutherland certainly does provide us with the life. Despite its shortcomings this is a rather interesting read, every bit as diverse as its subject's interests.