Memoirs of Duc de Saint-Simon, 1715-1723: Fatal Weakness (Paperback)

~ Duc de Saint-Simon (Author), Lucy Norton (Translator)
Key Phrases: Hôtel de Lesdiguières, golden fleece, plaza mayor, Cardinal Dubois, Duc de Noailles, Maréchal de Villeroy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Lucy Norton has provided a modern translation worthy of the original (she was encouraged by Nancy Mitford, and in fact dedicates the work to her) and Saint-Simon's splendid voice is clearly heard. But his legendary attention to detail at times threatens the narrative flow of the story. Lucy Norton has thoughtfully and compassionately abridged the repetitive and irrelevant, resulting in a work that allows the modern reader to enjoy the incredible richness of the whole.

From the Back Cover

The Sun King, Louis XIV is dead, and intrigue and espionage run rampant at a royal court where indulgence and excess are the norm. Saint-Simon now has close ties to the most powerful man in France, the Regent Duc d'Orléans, but he also has enemies stronger than ever before. Both high drama and frivolous escapades reach new heights as he takes us breathlessly into his final days at the French court, and the end of an era.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: 1500 Books LLC (January 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933698160
• ISBN-13: 978-1933698168
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,866 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly rewarding climax, July 7, 2009

By	Gavin Caruthers (Warwick, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am the publisher of this book, the third and final edition of Saint-Simon's memoirs. If you are on book one or two, and unsure about whether to continue, I can assure you will not be disappointed. D'Orleans has taken the helm as regent, and we see the close of Saint-Simon's life at court. I titled this book "Fatal Weakness." While Saint-Simon uses this term to describe his friend d'Orleans, I use it with affectionate irony about the Duke himself. At the end of this work, you can't help but feel you know the Duke a little better than he knew himself. For me, reading the last page was like losing a friend, and it remains one of the most rewarding works I've ever read.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great memoir, October 11, 2009

By	Ossian "ossian" (albuquerque, nm) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very attractive and pleasing, three-volume edition of one of the all-time great memoirs, if not the greatest. You may think you have no interest in Louis XIV or his court, but if you have the slightest interest in the creation of the modern state, you can dip in to any passage in any of the three volumes and find something fascinating and revelatory. This 300-year-old work will still be avidly read 300 years from now. Consider it the ultimate gossip column about the "beautiful people" who had so much influence on our history. We have nothing comparable on Washington, Wall Street or Hollywood.