Alain Decaux (1925–2016)

> Babelio : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Decaux-Cetait-le-XXe-siecle-tome-4--De-Staline-a-...

> « On appellera colombes
ceux qui privilégient la paix
à tout prix et faucons ceux
qui, pour préserver
la paix, ne craignent pas
d’envisager la guerre.
Jusqu’au bout faucons
et colombes s’affronteront. »
—Alain Decaux, C’était le XXe siècle. T. 4, De Staline à Kennedy, 1999.… (meer)

It is peculiar reading about such a British theme in German, translated from a French original. The translator obviously decided that all 'you' forms would be translated with 'Sie'. I have no idea how the French translations dealt with this issue, but often the formal 'Sie' really conflicted with the rest of the letters.

The book itself deals with the relationship of 'David' and Wallis through their wedding. The period after that is only a few pages long, and deals mostly with what they considered the horrible treatment they received from the British government and royal family. My feeling throughout the book is that neither of them had ever really grown up. I hadn't realized that at the time of his abdication she was not yet divorced the second time! Most of his letters sounded like they had been written by an infatuated adolescent. I don't think he ever thought his way through to the real world.

I am glad for them that their marriage worked. I would still be interested in reading more about that period of their lives.… (meer)