Walks Through Marie Antoinette's Paris [Hardcover]

Diana Reid Haig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2011

From her grand arrival in France in the spring of 1770 to her macabre journey to the guillotine in 1793, Marie Antoinette spent her life in Paris and Versailles. As a young Austrian archduchess her future was arranged for her and, aged 19, she was despatched to France to wed the French Dauphin, the awkward Louis, in a ceremony of pomp and splendour. Showered with jewels, fine clothes and admiration, she indulged in all the riches Versailles had to offer. Marie Antoinette's world was played out among the French royal palaces and gardens in and around Paris. All was to change, however, when revolution turned that world upside-down and the mob vented its fury on the Austrian archduchess. Arrested and tried by her enemies, she was executed at what is now the Place de la Concorde in Paris in October 1793. In this stylish book Diana Reid Haig walks us through modern Paris and the palaces which surround it, pointing out all the key places connected to Marie Antoinette. The author takes us on a guided tour in the elegant pages of this book, giving us the history, telling us the anecdotes, and showing us where Marie Antoinette spent good times as well as bad. We go from the palace and gardens of Versailles, where the queen of France played at shepherdess, to central Paris and the churches, theatres, shops and boutiques, and the prisons and courts, touched by the history of Marie Antoinette. Walks through Marie Antoinette's Paris presents the reader with four guided tours. Each walk explores scenes from Marie Antoinette's life; we see the famous sites, and less well-known landmarks are revealed, as we are taken on a journey through the life and times of France's most famous queen. Lavishly illustrated in colour, and including colour maps, this elegant pocket-sized book will delight travellers and lovers of history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diana Reid Haig is the author of Walks through Napoleon and Josephine's Paris and is a successful writer and broadcaster. She lives in New York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ravenhall Books (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905043082
• ISBN-13: 978-1905043088
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #491,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( A ) > Antoinette, Marie

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tour of Paris from the view of one of history's most iconic figures, the often adored, but often reviled, Marie Antoinette., September 6, 2006

By 

Melanie J. Mcgurr (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walks Through Marie Antoinette's Paris (Hardcover)

Although I am an enthusiastic fan of Diana Reid Haig's Walks Through Napoleon and Josephine's Paris, her new book is an even more engrossing blend of education and entertainment.

The book follows Marie Antoinette from her time as a naive, spoiled fourteen year old arriving at the court of Louis XV to her dazzling rise as the beloved Dauphine and, finally, to her tragic and lonely end.

The book contains fascinating pictures that give a glimpse of life in the Queen's rarified world; however, Haig also uses the text to create her portrait of the Queen. She presents a balanced account of Marie Antoinette's life, pointing out her vast expenditures and questionable decisions, but also helping the reader to understand the possible reasoning and motives behind such behavior.

This book is wonderful not just because of its mesmerizing subject, but also because Haig is quite simply, a brilliant writer. Her depth of knowledge and attention to detail bring history alive for the reader. I did not want to put the book down, even though I knew how it would end.

Walks Through Marie Antoinette's Paris, like her book on Napoleon and Josephine, includes walking tours and specific information on places to visit. In addition to being a great read on its own, travelers can use Haig's book as a guide when exploring Paris and its environs. Her tips and suggestions are invaluable to anyone wanting to learn more and to see with their own eyes some of the marvels Haig writes about so well.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this engrossing little book before Marie-mania breaks out., September 17, 2006

By 

New York Foodie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Walks Through Marie Antoinette's Paris (Hardcover)

Arriving on the eve of Sofia Coppola's film about Marie Antoinette is Ms. Haig's gorgeous book, packed with facts, sidebars, and many of the author's own collection of illustrations. Beginning with her introduction to the French court outside Versailles, Marie Antoinette's ascent to fame and fast fall is documented by Ms. Haig in a style that is both objective and yet with a clear affection for her subject matter.

With this pocket-size gem in hand, trace the young queen's first visit to Paris. As with her previous book on Napoleon and Josephine, Ms. Haig is a welcomed companion as you trace Marie Antoinette's footsteps, pointing out details and ancedotes overlooked by more traditional tour books. Her eye for detail makes incidents come vividly to life, such as the invasion of Versailles and the Queen's brave curtesy on the balcony before an incensed mob.

A warning though: don't even open this book with travel plans in mind. A trip to Paris and its environs will be irrestible after reading this wonderful book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Precious Gem, September 10, 2007

By 

Anthony P. Cavaretta "fiyero87" (New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walks Through Marie Antoinette's Paris (Hardcover)

When i had first seen the book walks through Napolean and Josephine's Paris i immediately looked to see if there was one about Marie Antoinette. Alas there hadn't been one printed yet but i was informed that one was in fact in the making. I was very excited and preordered mine immediately. When it arrived i immediately read it cover to cover and was very inpressed by the wealth of knowledge contained n the little book. It even includes the addresses of several shops and bakeries that catered to the French Court including M. Bertin's studio where she constructed much of MA's lavish couture. This book is a little gem and i cannot wait to use it when i visit Paris.