The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth [Paperback]

Sandra Gulland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 22, 2002

Just in time for the holidays, here are Sandra Gulland's three gripping, historical novels based on the epic life of Josephine Bonaparte in one gorgeous package. All are works of historical fiction on a grand scale that recount a stirring, unforgettable love story.

The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. traces Josephine's early years as she leaves the exotic, lush, and remote Martinico for the heart of European society. There she meets Napoleon, whose destiny will prove to be irrevocably intertwined with hers.

Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe continues the saga as Josephine awakens to her new life as Mrs. Napoleon Bonaparte and we witness the political intrigues and personal betrayals that result in death, ruin, and victory for those closest to Josephine.

The Last Great Dance on Earth is the triumphant final volume that opens four years into the passionate yet troubled union of Josephine and Napoleon. The tumultuous times will, ultimately, drive them apart, culminating in Josephine's greatest tragedy: her divorce from Napoleon and his exile to Elba.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1216 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Slipcase edition (October 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743246217
• ISBN-13: 978-0743246217
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #489,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Miami, Florida, in 1944, and lived in Rio de Janeiro, Berkeley and Chicago before immigrating to Canada in 1970 to teach in an Inuit village in northern Labrador for one year.

Settling in Toronto, I worked as a book editor for a decade before moving with my husband and two children to a log house in northern Ontario. Juggling children, a dog, three cats, pigs, chickens and a succession of horses, I worked as a freelance editor for five years before committing to writing full-time in 1985.

Ten years later, the first of the novels in the Josephine B. Trilogy was published. (The Trilogy is now published in 15 countries and in 13 languages.) Mistress of the Sun, my 4th novel, was published in 2008 (and is now in 8 languages).

Our children grown, my husband and I now live half the year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and half in Ontario.

For more information, please see my website at http://www.sandragulland.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best works of historical fiction ...., August 30, 2003

By 

Joan C. Frank (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth (Paperback)

As other reviewers point out, this trilogy is exceedingly readable. In my opinion, Gulland deserves more than the usual accolades for this accomplishment. The style in which she writes is very difficult to use successfully. Because the entire text is in the format of Rose/Josephine's journal entries, Gulland limits the tools that she can use to tell the story of her heroine. First, everything is necessarily written in first person. The only time the reader gets a glimpse of the points of view of other characters is through the conversations that Josephine reports. Additionally, everything is strictly in time order - no flash back or foreshadowing. Finally, Gulland does not permit herself to use omniscience in the form of a character or narrator. We must be fully satisfied by hearing about Josephine's life in Josephine's words. What a feat!

Within the confines set for herself, Gulland creates a wonderful work of fiction and of history. The characters are big and real and riveting. The pain felt today and the tension felt about the future are palpable. The many facets of each individual are described in glorious detail. The story line is terrifying because it is one woman's harrowing life, and it is one nation's journey through unspeakable trial. I was left wondering if Josephine had been in another time, in safer environs, would her beauty have shown so brightly? She is clearly a pearl before and amongst the swine of her era and situation. I definitely want to read more about her!

Other nice touches provided by Gulland include family trees for Rose/Josephine and Napoleone's families, a glossary of characters and a historical time line of events. These details help the reader to stay grounded in the reality of history. My only, very small, criticism is that the language and context seem very modern. Perhaps there are striking similarities between now and then, but it seemed a bit jarring when I began reading the first novel.

I highly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in the lives of women whether or not you are a true history buff. They also provide a great primer of the French Revolution.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written and captivating trilogy, March 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth (Paperback)

The trilogy consists of these novels:

1. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.: Here we are introduced to Rose Tascher. She lives at a sugar plantation with her family at Martinico. Soon she is chosen to move to France and marry Alexandre Beauharnais. Rose and her family experience the French Revolution/Terror, the death of friends, and the change of life as they know it. At the end of this novel, which covers many years, Rose meets and marries Napoleon Bonaparte, and she soon must change her name to Josephine.

2. Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe: Josephine is witness to futher battles and scandal of the Revolution. Napoleon is victorious in his wars, and is elevated in popularity. Soon, after more scandal, the Directors of the Revolution are overcome and Josephine and Napoleon are the new leaders of France. This novel ends with the couple moving in to the palace.

3. The Last Great Dance on Earth: Josephine and Napoleon have been married for several years. Josephine is unable to produce an heir and rumors say that Napoleon will take another wife. Meanwhile, the Bonaparte clan would do anything to get rid of Josephine. In a few years, Napoleon does indeed divorce Josephine, and it takes a great toll on both. He is losing wars and France is falling into the enemy's hands. This is unfortunately the end of this wonderful story.

When I first began to read the trilogy, I was confused on my opinion of it because I hadn't read many novels that were like this. Yet, as I read on, I was to the point where I couldn't stop! Sandra Gulland is a great author, and I am eagerly awaiting any future novels written by her.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These Were Great!!!!!!, April 11, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth (Paperback)

After seeing the painting by J.L. David, "The Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine", I wanted to learn more about the woman who was kneeling at the foot of the altar--Josephine. I was looking for something that would be enjoyable to read and would give me information. These 3 books were perfect! They were not hard to read at all, because I'm 13 years old and I undertstood them(of course, you can't exactly go by my judgement; I read Hamlet and understood it). I liked how they were written in a diary format. It's like you are reading Josephine's inner thoughts. Even though they are fiction, they are packed with historical facts. If you want to know more about this amazing woman, enjoy history, or just want a good read, these are the books for you!!