I will be reviewing this book tomorrow on History Corner, but Michelle sent over a teaser Guest Post and I wanted to share with you!
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MADAME TUSSAUD: The
Woman
When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first
thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her
museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what
was she like in the flesh?
Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th
century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it
was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her
start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the
time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just
a few sous a passerby might attend
the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a
difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent
grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of
the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie
or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family
supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in
Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.
But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual
requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women
wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s
sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While
this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous
time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and
Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy,
and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position.
Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the
famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.
Madame Tussaud: A Novel
of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the
most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than
astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.
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Check out Michelle's blog at michellemoran.blogspot.com
Oh wow...this sounds interesting.
ReplyDelete@Yona
ReplyDeleteIf like history you will LOVE this book! Review coming out later today WITH a super BONUS giveaway!
Stay tuned!