Will BASHOR
was on Tour
with
Marie Antoinette’s World:
Intrigue, Infidelity, and Adultery in Versailles
[history/biographical nonfiction]
Release date: July 30, 2020
at Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Hardcover and ebook, 320 pages
SYNOPSIS
This riveting book explores the little-known intimate life of Marie Antoinette and her milieu in a world filled with intrigue, infidelity, adultery, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Will Bashor reveals the intrigue and debauchery of the Bourbon kings from Louis XIII to Louis XV, which were closely intertwined with the expansion of Versailles from a simple hunting lodge to a luxurious and intricately ordered palace. It soon became a retreat for scandalous conspiracies and rendezvous—all hidden from the public eye.
When Marie Antoinette arrived, she was quickly drawn into a true viper’s nest, encouraged by her imprudent entourage. Bashor shows that her often thoughtless, fantasy-driven, and notorious antics were inevitable given her family history and the alluring influences that surrounded her. Marie Antoinette’s frivolous and flamboyant lifestyle prompted a torrent of scathing pamphlets, and Bashor scrutinizes the queen’s world to discover what was false, what was possible, and what, although shocking, was most probably true.
Readers will be fascinated by this glimpse behind the decorative screens to learn the secret language of the queen’s fan and explore the dark passageways and staircases of endless intrigue at Versailles.
TOUR QUOTATIONS
“A scholarly, refreshing, and honest look at Marie Antoinette’s world and morals.”
“This is probably my favorite book I have read about her. I learned quite a bit about her – some of it really shocking and some of it I never knew before. I was captivated from page one all the way to the very end. I could not put it down until I finished.”
“Voila, a captivating and comprehensive book written by Will Bashor that explores the intimate life of Marie Antoinette and transports you to the hedonistic world at Versailles.
Marie Antoinette’s World is a historical non-fiction full of fascinating facts about the intrigue, excesses and sexual profligacy surrounding the life of the Bourbon kings from Louis XIII to Louis V and the expansion of Versailles from a simple hunting lodge to the luxurious palace.”
“Marie Antoinette’s World starts with a history of Versailles and how it was used by the kings through the years. That was actually very interesting and it sets up how the atmosphere of the Palace of Versailles influences everyone who lives there.
The book is organized chronologically. This works well to demonstrate the evolution of the palace, its uses, and its perception by the population.
I feel that any reader who is interested in French history, the French Revolution, and Marie Antoinette in particular, will find Marie Antoinette’s World to be a good addition to their reading and library.”
“It’s a well-structured book, organised chronologically, starting with the reign of Louis XIII…
The most interesting part of the book, in my opinion, is the discussion of the pamphlets published as an attack on Marie Antoinette and those in her intimate circle.”
“What was most unusual in the book, was how the author placed chapters into sections, each marking a period of time in the life of Marie Antoinette. At the end of each section, he devotes a chapter to analyzing Marie Antoinette’s hand writing at this point in her life.
This book is a good addition to any library on Marie Antoinette.”
PRAISE FOR
Marie Antoinette’s World
A brilliant, and sad, history of the French monarchy and its descent into hell. Reality, gossip, and myths about the last royalty of France meld into a fascinating account by a true connoisseur.
— Jean-Clément Martin, l’Université Paris, Panthéon-Sorbonne [on the publisher’s webpage]
BUY it here:
Will Bashor
is the author of the award-winning
Marie Antoinette’s Head: The Royal Hairdresser, the Queen, and the Revolution and
Marie Antoinette’s Darkest Days: Prisoner No. 280 in the Conciergerie.
He holds a doctorate in international studies
from the American Graduate School in Paris
and is professor of global issues at Franklin University.
He lives in Barcelona, Spain.
Visit his website, or connect with him here:
August 17, 2020
WordsAndPeace
France Book Tours 