Maria Fairweather (1943–2010)

Although Madame de Stael was an interesting and important woman, this book was disappointing. Fairweather never manages to provide you with a real person, presenting facts instead. The facts are great, but I felt something was missing.

Fairweather tells you that Stael was brilliant, but never demonstrates it. You have to accept it as a fact because people at the time said so and the author says so. I am willing to believe it, but it would have been better if I could have seen it for myself by being given better examples of her writing and her wit, or more complete details on her brilliant thoughts.

What did come across clearly was that poor Madame de Stael had never grown up and never achieved mastery of her emotions. Her pathetic clutching at various lovers made me cringe. It reminded me of myself. But then, I’m not a brilliant political thinker who holds the most important salons in Europe and have never had, nor will I ever have, any influence on the high and mighty.

It is interesting to learn that in those salons of Paris, the hostess was not simply the one who provided the food and drink. She conducted the conversation which, to be successful, needed to be witty and brilliant. Oh, would I love to sit one evening at a table where the conversation is witty and brilliant. Or even just witty and intelligent.… (meer)

This was a very readable biography of a highly interesting lady. Princess Zinaida Volkonsky was born into the highest echelons of the Russian aristocracy. She became a lady-in-waiting to the Empress Maria Feodorovna (the first one, not the mother of Nicholas II) and later became the mistress of Tsar Alexander I. Artistic and cultured, she served as the prototype for Helena Kuragin, in Tolstoy's War In Peace. This book has it all: war, peace, love, and hate. It's all set against the backdrop of Napoleon's siege of Russia and the subsequent events that it led to. Zinaida eventually found herself in Italy where an invitation to her salon was highly prized and sought after. Very good reading.… (meer)