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Tony Spawforth
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Versailles: A Biography of a Palace (ST. MARTIN'S GR) Kindle Edition

by Tony Spawforth (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 199 ratings
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The behind-the-scenes story of the world's most famous palace, painting a picture of the way its residents truly lived and examining the palace's legacy, from French history through today


The story of Versailles is one of historical drama, under the last three kings of France's old regime, mixed with the high camp and glamour of the European courts, all in an iconic home for the French arts. The palace itself has been radically altered since 1789, and the court was long ago swept away. Versailles sets out to rediscover what is now a vanished world: a great center of power, seat of royal government, and, for thousands, a home both grand and squalid, bound by social codes almost incomprehensible to us today.

Using eyewitness testimony as well as the latest historical research, Spawforth offers the first full account of Versailles in English in over thirty years. Blowing away the myths of Versailles, he analyses afresh the politics behind the Sun King's construction of the palace and shows how Versailles worked as the seat of a royal court. He probes the conventional picture of a "perpetual house party" of courtiers and gives full weight to the darker side: not just the mounting discomfort of the aging buildings but also the intrigue and status anxiety of its aristocrats. The book brings out clearly the fateful consequences for the French monarchy of its relocation to Versailles and also examines the changing place of Versailles in France's national identity since 1789.

Many books have told the stories of the royals and artists living in Versailles, but this is the first to turn its focus on the palace itself---from architecture and politics to scandal and restoration.

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  1. Print length
    321 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    St. Martin's Press
  5. Publication date
    March 16, 2010
  6. File size
    1729 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

British historian Spawforth animates the palace that was home to the most charismatic monarchy in Europe for a century, until the French Revolution. The glamour and pageantry of the palace hid a multitude of sins. The clothes-conscious Louis XIV, for instance, created a new office, grand master of the wardrobe, and appointed a duke whom the memoirist Saint-Simon likened to a slave. A handsome aristocratic page to Marie-Antoinette, Alexandre de Tilly, recounted his sexual intrigues at age 16 with a 36-year-old widowed countess, conducted in various palace locations. At Versailles the royals ate publicly, a display that was supposed to humanize them as spectators raced around to watch each member of the royal family dine; the crowd horrified a Russian princess in 1768. Chamber pots on the palace's the upper stories were frequently emptied into the interior courts below; Marie-Antoinette was hit—intentionally, she believed—as she passed under the windows of Madame du Barry, her father-in-law the king's mistress. This well-researched and highly engrossing account conjures a bygone era with all its opulence, deference and perilous insularity. 8 pages of color photos. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. This fascinating, immensely readable book will be welcomed by both general readers and those interested in French culture. Using an impressive array of sources, Spawforth (ancient history, Newcastle Univ.; The Complete Greek Temples) re-creates the history of Versailles and its inhabitants, focusing not merely on architectural details but on the many human stories hidden within its lengthy past. Meticulously tracing the growth and changing usages of the palace from the days of Louis XIII to the ill-fated departure of Louis XVI in the upheaval of the Revolution, he offers vivid insights into a vanished world of royal and aristocratic splendor as he describes the clothing, rituals, habits, ceremonies, and entertainments of a social set obsessed with the "fetishes of rank." No detail appears to have escaped his purview as he looks at the court's dress codes, standards of service, etiquette rituals, and sanitary facilities. Even more important are the glimpses he provides into the lives of those servants and townspeople who made life at Versailles possible, individuals such as the "water waiter" who oversaw a kind of underground economy by redistributing leftovers from royal tables. This book thoughtfully analyzes how Versailles has been both a living community and a symbol of many things—royal magnificence, despotism, extravagance, isolation, and, finally, national pride. Most intriguing is the little-known story of what became of Versailles after the Revolution and the key role played by conservators like Pierre de Nolhac in preserving and reconstructing its history. Highly recommended for large public libraries.—Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., N.J.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003D0B81Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press; First edition (March 16, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 16, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1729 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 199 ratings

About the author

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Tony Spawforth

Tony Spawforth

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Tony Spawforth (1950- ) was born to an English father and a Scottish mother in London, U.K., where he grew up and went to school. His first job was as assistant director of the British School of Archaeology at Athens, Greece. He went on to teach and research Greek and Roman history for about thirty years at a university in north-east England. His publications include the third and fourth editions of "The Oxford Classical Dictionary", "Greece: An Oxford Archaeological Guide," "The Complete Greek Temples," and his latest book (2018), "The Story of Greece and Rome". An enthusiasm for rulers' courts and the French ancien regime led to his book "Versailles: A Biography of a Palace". Among his media work he presented nine documentaries for the BBC2 "Ancient Voices" TV series. He lives mainly in Brighton, U.K.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
199 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book well-crafted, interesting, and full of history. They also appreciate the great quality and fast shipping. Readers also mention the book is well-documented and based on an actual diary.

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ReadabilitySettingCraftsmanship
12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-crafted, informative, and easy to read. They also say the author is first-rate and the writing is good. Readers also mention that the developments are discussed in interesting detail.

"...of its construction. The author has created a well crafted tapestry of documentation based on actual diary and journal writings of the period...." Read more

"...I even had lots of information that the tour guide didn't. The book is well written and very entertaining...." Read more

"...The writing was very descriptive and it kept my attention...." Read more

"...These developments are discussed in interesting detail, but the effect is diminished without a visual to assist the reader...." Read more

6 customers mention "Setting"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the setting of the book very good and interesting.

"...The book is well written and very entertaining. It tells history from a different perspective and really makes it come alive...." Read more

"Having just gone there, I found it quite interesting. However, some areas of the book get a little bogged down.," Read more

"Very good history of the famed palace in a practical format. Expert or beginner to learning about life and lore of this singular building." Read more

"really interesting..." Read more

3 customers mention "Craftsmanship"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the craftsmanship of the book. They mention it's beautifully done and of great quality.

"Great Quality. Fast Shipping." Read more

"Interesting book, arrived in perfect condition." Read more

"Beautifully done Book..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Thomas Randleman
5.0 out of 5 stars An Inside Story of Versailles
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2010
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If you wished to know how the Palace of Versailles came to be built and the manner in which the occupants lived there, this is the book for you. If you want a book written by an excellent writer whose "charm" infuses the writing, this is the book for you.
The conventional historical details are given in the order of events.
Beyond this, there are snapshots of the actual lives lived within the Palace in each era and phase of its construction.
The author has created a well crafted tapestry of documentation based on actual diary and journal writings of the period. In this way,one can appreciate a fully fleshed set of images and human sensibilities.
For those who have a special interest in French Eighteenth Century History in general and a desire to know more of an indepth "portrait" of the actual characters and those who worked for them and how they lived specifically, this volume will be enormously enriching.
Finally, the author is first-rate. This is not a fluff or coffee table book. It is also very acessable and not scholarly to the point of being a cool calculated breakdown of events. The author has an elegant sense of humor and some related "tidbits" should be amusing to the reader. For example, not many books on Versailles tell you about the "bathroom facilities" or where everyone lived in the Palace if you were not the King or Queen themselves. My most marked response is having a sense of the "personalities" of the actual people of the period. My most delightful response was having a sense of the "personality" of the writer, who seems happy to relate the story and never to be pedantic. I felt I had spent a lovely time with him in a quiet place and shared in his extraordinay knowledge of his subject. I loved this book and hated for it to end. I would purchase anything written by Tony Spawforth. I would love to meet him. When writing is this good you feel uplifted and pleased not to have wasted a single minute of your time.

Thomas Lee Randleman
19 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully done Book
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2023
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So informative about life at Versailles. If you are interested in Versailles you will learn so much about its history from a hunting lodge to a grand palace.
One person found this helpful
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Jan
4.0 out of 5 stars really interesting
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2019
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a great accompaniment to the TV series, more in-depth. I really can't blame the poor people of France for having a revolution after this. They were starving while these aristocrats didn't even have to pay taxes. However, in spite of the luxurious surroundings, Versailles wasn't an easy place to live by our standards.
6 people found this helpful
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Veronica Robbins
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2016
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I *LOVED* this book! I read it before a trip to France and it made my trip to the Palace of Versailles so much better. I even had lots of information that the tour guide didn't. The book is well written and very entertaining. It tells history from a different perspective and really makes it come alive. I highly recommend this book.
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Seek
5.0 out of 5 stars I have always been fascinated with this palace
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2013
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This is a history of building the Palace and the people with the gifts and talents to put it all together. There is the entertainment, politics, mistresses and the ritualized pomp of ceremonies. Today it is a museum and I have wanted to go there since I was a boy.
I love to read the how, why and who of beautiful architecture edifices and their contents of masterpieces,silver, gold, stone and wood, and the creative geniuses who shaped the pieces. The book title Basilica, R.A.Scotti, the building of Saint Peters is a good example. I read this book never thinking I would ever see this magnificent place, but a short time later I went to Rome, and seeing this beautiful masterpiece meant more to me. I hope to see Versailles one day.
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Grace
5.0 out of 5 stars Versailles
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2017
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I usually don’t read this type of reading but I really enjoyed this book. The writing was very descriptive and it kept my attention.I would highly recommend this book for history lovers and people who would like to read something different.
One person found this helpful
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Michael B.
4.0 out of 5 stars I've Been Waiting For This Book...
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2009
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This is not a "coffee table" picturebook of Versailles. There are plenty of those to be had. What's been missing from the literature on this subject has been a book that explains the workings of the palace, its social and political context and the routines and rhythms of day-to-day life in what was, essentially, an enormous gilded cage for the French nobility. This book begins to fill that niche. My only complaint would be that the author could have included a few more architectural drawings to illustrate the evolution of the palace and the changing arrangement of rooms over the reigns of the three kings of France who lived in Versailles. These developments are discussed in interesting detail, but the effect is diminished without a visual to assist the reader. Overall, a very good and interesting read.
28 people found this helpful
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Atlantic
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of interesting stuff
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2019
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I just open this book randomly at any page. Wherever you start there is something new and interesting about life in this period at this place.
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Top reviews from other countries

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luis
4.0 out of 5 stars Es una lectura pesada pero es muy buena
Reviewed in Mexico on March 19, 2024
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Resalta a detalle como y porque fue construido el palacio lo explica muy bien
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Syed A. Hassan
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in Canada on April 23, 2022
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A trove of stories of Versailles over the ages. Very engaging with great perspectives.
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Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars Palace
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2020
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I have had my eye on this book for some time, so I was pleased to finally purchase it. The book is a witty romp through the years of Versailles splendour and fall from grace. It is full of information from the main historical events, what life was like for both monarchs, courtiers and servants who made up the rich tapestry of life that flowed through the corridors of the palace. A wonderful read.
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parisnewbie
3.0 out of 5 stars Well done but could do better
Reviewed in France on August 11, 2013
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This gave an interesting perspective on the palace and its architecture/history/ usage. Having bought the Kindle version I was disappointed it didn't have any maps or drawings. With all the changes that occurred over the years things wee a bit confusing for me, trying to work out what it must have looked like, how it differed from what is seen today. I would have liked a bit more information too on the most recent years. Information was less dense from Napoleon 1 onwards.

It was good to gain some information on the town of Versailles itself which, while it contains a few nice buildings still, seems to be losing some of it's historic charm by the way older buildings are used, gutted etc.
A glossary on key personages would also have been helpful. Overall a good read, just not a great one.
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S. Ramsey-Hardy
4.0 out of 5 stars more visuals please!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2009
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When this book arrived, the first surprise was how light it was: I'd expected a Biography of the Palace of Versailles to be weighty with photographs and plans. There ARE some colour photos in the book, but they are very small, the selection is quirky, -and there aren't many of them!

The author gives us a great deal of interesting information here, some of it leaving a visual impression on the imagination; this information would be enormously enhanced for the reader by being able to cast the eye on larger photographs of the wonderful rooms mentioned, and on more portraits of the brilliant historical characters who appear in the story and who gave life to this incomparable setting.

Versailles is, par excellence, a VISUAL experience, and a biography of the palace's development should ideally be full of visual information to accompany the text. One day I hope the book might be republished together with scores of photos, (black-and-white, it doesn't matter!), so we can SEE all these enthralling figures, these kings and queens, these courtiers and artists, these ambassadors, lovers, and princes, and look at their faces as we read about them.

As it stands, the book is very interesting; with the addition of a comprehensive collection of photographic references to accompany the text, it would become something even more.
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