Mademoiselle de Scudéry, sa vie et sa correspondance, avec un choix de ses poésies

A brilliant salonnière of the Grand Siècle, Mademoiselle de Scudéry brightened seventeenth‑century French society with wit, imagination and a fierce love of polite conversation. Her novels and improvisations helped shape the emerging culture of literary clubs, while her friendships linked her to figures such as the queen Christine, Madame de Sévigné and the playwright Corneille. The volume captures the sparkle of her mind and the elegance of her era, inviting listeners to step into the lively gatherings where ideas and affection were exchanged as readily as poetry. It also hints at the subtle influence she wielded in refining taste and manners across France and beyond.

The editors have gathered a careful selection of her own verses—short, graceful pieces that reveal a tender, often playful spirit—and a rich correspondence that shows how contemporaries addressed her with admiration and affection. Letters from philosophers, clergy and fellow writers illuminate the network of ideas that surrounded her, while the back‑and‑forth exchanges bring her personality to life. Listeners will hear a portrait of a woman whose intellect and charm contributed to the refined sociability that defined her age, all presented without the need for modern embellishment.