Recollections of the Revolution and the Empire


Read by Barbara Baker

(4.1 stars; 7 reviews)

An aristocratic Frenchwoman's personal record of the dazzling extravagance of the Ancien Régime, of the court of Marie Antoinette, of the Revolution, of her life in exile (partly in Upstate New York) and of the court of Napoleon Bonaparte. This famous historically valuable memoir, written for her son, ends with Napoleon's return from Elba in 1815. (Summary by barbara2) (0 hr 36 min)

Chapters

Part 1 Ch 1: Childhood of Mlle Dillon 15:53 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 2: Death of Mme Dillon 16:51 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 3: Visits to Languedoc 20:12 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 4: Matrimonial Projects 12:47 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 5: The Marriage Preliminaries 8:34 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 6: Marriage and Presentation at Court 17:13 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 7: First Season in Society 15:40 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 8: Eve of the Revolution 21:44 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 9: Fall of the Bastille 19:07 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 10a: Versailles Invaded by the Mob 23:12 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 10b: Versailles Invaded by the Mob 19:03 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 11: Visit to Switzerland 26:01 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 12a: Residence in Holland 15:30 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 12b: Residence in Holland 13:06 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 13: Flight to Bordeaux 25:45 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 14: Life at Bordeaux 21:33 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 15: Decision to Leave France 19:22 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 1 Ch 16: Voyage to Boston 18:37 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 1: Arrival in America 23:29 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 2: The Farm near Albany 26:07 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 3: Country Life 22:42 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 4: A Visit to New York 26:55 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 5a: Departure for Europe 18:23 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 5b: Departure for Europe 16:53 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 6: Visit to Paris 31:15 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 7a: Exile in England 19:31 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 7b: Exile in England 18:33 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 8: Life at Richmond 16:47 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 9: Return to Paris 26:17 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 10: Life at Le Bouilh 18:15 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 11: The Emperor at Bordeaux 21:21 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 12: The Prefecture at Brussels 29:43 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 13: Visit of the Emperor 17:55 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 14: An Audience with Napoleon 27:55 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 15: Return of the King 24:27 Read by Barbara Baker
Part 2 Ch 16: The First Restoration 20:18 Read by Barbara Baker
Postscript 19:13 Read by Barbara Baker

Reviews

good reading


(4 stars)

I can understand the other reviewers frustration with the French but a) I got to page 65 before I found a spoken phrase that might have been translated and b) from decades of reading French I know that the two biggest problems with demanding translations are the impossibility of finding one English word that actually equates to the French (spirituelle does _not_ mean spirited) and the large number of times translators fall into "false friends" mistakes that my high school teacher of French warned us about nearly 50 years ago. Finally, if you are going to read about France, have a little gumption and learn some of the language instead of insisting that somebody a century ago cater to modern ignorance of languages. And French, too, which every high school "teaches". It's much easier listening to Ms. Baker than listening to somebody who knows nothing about French butchering liaison.

Sneak Peek Into History


(4 stars)

This was a nice look into different eras of French history through the eyes of one in high society. However, I really wish the translator had done his job more thoroughly. The original was written in French. It was translated in the early 1900s. At that time, one would have the bright idea that not everyone understands French, yet he still left all dialogue untranslated. Important dialogue! So those of us with no French knowledge walk away missing important parts of the narrative. :( I know LV records text as written, but this is one case in which I really wish we allowed translation of parts that were left in the original language. The reader is excellent. Thanks for the hard work putting this together!

fascinating


(5 stars)

What a story! The reader and the text are well paired.

very interesting


(5 stars)

lovely reader great story