Description
Book Synopsis: PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • A brilliant look at turn-of-the-century Paris through the first in-depth study of the three women Proust used to create his supreme fictional character, the Duchesse de Guermantes. “Weber has done a remarkable job of bringing to life…a world of culture, glamour and privilege.” —The Wall Street Journal Geneviève Halévy Bizet Straus; Laure de Sade, Comtesse de Adhéaume de Chevigné; and Élisabeth de Riquet de Caraman-Chimay, the Comtesse Greffulhe--these were the three superstars of fin-de-siècle Parisian high society who, as Caroline Weber says, "transformed themselves, and were transformed by those around them, into living legends: paragons of elegance, nobility, and style." All well but unhappily married, these women sought freedom and fulfillment by reinventing themselves, between the 1870s and 1890s, as icons. At their fabled salons, they inspired the creativity of several generations of writers, visual artists, composers, designers, and journalists. Against a rich historical backdrop, Weber takes the reader into these women's daily lives of masked balls, hunts, dinners, court visits, nights at the opera or theater. But we see as well the loneliness, rigid social rules, and loveless, arranged marriages that constricted these women's lives. Proust, as a twenty-year-old law student in 1892, would worship them from afar, and later meet them and create his celebrated composite character for The Remembrance of Things Past.
Details
Step into the dazzling world of turn-of-the-century Paris with "Proust's Duchess: How Three Celebrated Women Captured the Imagination of Fin-de-Siècle Paris." This captivating book offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Geneviève Halévy Bizet Straus, Laure de Sade, Comtesse de Adhéaume de Chevigné, and Élisabeth de Riquet de Caraman-Chimay, the Comtesse Greffulhe. Discover the secrets, scandals, and sophistication of these iconic women who inspired generations of artists and writers in Parisian high society.
Caroline Weber's Pulitzer Prize Finalist book delves deep into the intricate lives of these legendary women who transformed themselves into paragons of elegance, nobility, and style. With meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Weber paints a vivid picture of a world filled with culture, glamour, and privilege. Immerse yourself in the opulent salons, masked balls, and captivating social circles of these remarkable figures who sought freedom and fulfillment against the backdrop of a changing society.
Uncover the complexities of loveless marriages, rigid social norms, and the yearning for autonomy that defined the lives of these women. Through the eyes of a young Proust, witness the admiration and fascination these women elicited, culminating in the creation of the iconic Duchesse de Guermantes in "The Remembrance of Things Past." Embark on a journey through history, passion, and legacy with "Proust's Duchess" and be transported to a world that continues to captivate and inspire.
Discover More Best Sellers in Community & Culture
Shop Community & Culture
Twelve Years a Slave (AmazonClassics Edition)
$2.99
Community & Culture - Twelve Years a Slave (AmazonClassics Edition)
To Selena, with Love: Commemorative Edition (Deckle edge)
$12.79
Community & Culture - To Selena, with Love: Commemorative Edition (Deckle edge)
