Monsieur Beaucaire [Hardcover]

Booth Tarkington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1992

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 115 pages
• Publisher: Amereon Ltd (March 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884117030
• ISBN-13: 978-0884117032
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,553,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cold Blooded Caveat Emptor not a romance, December 1, 2000

By 

Dawn Merrill (SLC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monsieur Beaucaire (BCL1-PS American Literature) (Library Binding)

Last reviewer missed the Tark's irony. This is not romance; it's a warning about accepting the exterior. The closest irony I can compare it to is Tom "freeing" Jim at the end of Huck Finn. One impish fellow plays a wonderfull dating game. He survives dangers, costume changes(and some fine engravings in the early edition), treachery, duels, all the romantic posturings. But, when he asks if he can be loved simply for himself, not for the trappings,...well the book could end there. I am glad that Tark gave some of the characters their come uppance in the epilogue.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Second Effort, June 17, 2008

By 

Dave_42 "Dave_42" (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monsieur Beaucaire (Hardcover)

"Monsieur Beaucaire" is Booth Tarkington's second novel which was originally published in 1900. It is would probably be considered a novelette today due to its short length. The story is that of Monsieur Victor Beaucaire, the barber of the French Ambassador, the Marquis de Mirepoix, who uses the English Duke of Winterset's cheating against him to force the Duke to introduce him to Bath's society, and in particular Lady Mary Carlisle, as Le Duc de Chateaurien.

Monsieur Beaucaire initially gains the notice of Lady Mary Carlisle, but this gets the attention of other potential suitors, and Monsieur Beaucaire has to defend the honor of his queen, and his "friend", the Duke of Winterset. Monsieur Beaucaire is successful in these initial attempts to defend his honor, but at the same time the reader learns that there is probably more to his story than they have initially been told. At the same time, the Duke has not forgotten the embarrassment of being caught cheating at cards, and the way he was used to get him to introduce a commoner into society. still holds a grudge. Winterset's plot to expose Beaucaire works as he expects, but once again the reader is sure that there is something to Beaucaire's story which is not being told. All is revealed in the end, when Beaucaire faces his doubters in front of the Lady Carlisle.

This is a very short piece, which can easily be read in one or two sittings, and it is a fun read. It is lighter in tone than Tarkington's first effort, "The Gentleman from Indiana", which is not surprising given the much shorter length. There is no character development to speak of, and unlike the first novel this is not one from which Tarkington is writing from his own personal experience, nor is it a story from the heartland of America which was his more usual setting. Yet, despite the light and almost superficial story telling, this book has been the basis for two movies. The first starred Rudolph Valentino and is a silent movie from 1924. The second is a Bob Hope movie from 1946. It also served as the basis for an operetta.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Typical Early Tarkington, September 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Monsieur Beaucaire (Hardcover)

This short novelette held much promise. I actually read the introduction and was told that this was one of the great "love" stories in American literature.

What I got was a muddled story that was hard to follow and unfeeling. A lowly Frenchman comes to England and notices a lady in the upper class. She has noble blood. He worms his way into an introduction with her under the guise of French nobility and a made up title. She is impressed with him until he is revealed to her as a mere "barber".

Yet he is not all that he seems to be -- as the story reveals much to the woman's regret ( after she learns the truth ).

I am glad this book was short, otherwise I probably would've ditched it after page 50... but I figured I was already almost half way through and stuck with it... It started to make sense near the end but there seemed to be about 35 pages of confusion occurring.