Mémoires du duc de Saint-Simon Siècle de Louis XIV, la régence, Louis XV

Step into the glittering yet turbulent world of late Seventeenth‑ and early Eighteenth‑century France through the keen eyes of the Duke of Saint‑Simon. His memoirs peel back the ceremonial façade of Versailles, revealing the petty rivalries, whispered intrigues, and often stark contradictions of a court that dazzled and divided in equal measure. This edition restores many mis‑read passages and adds fresh annotations that clarify names, dates, and the occasional editorial slip, making the narrative both more reliable and more vivid.

As the sun sets on Louis XIV’s long reign and gives way to the regency and the early years of Louis XV, Saint‑Simon chronicles the shifting balance of power, the ambitions of ministers, and the daily realities of nobles caught between duty and desire. His prose is at once elegant and blunt, offering anecdotes that range from the absurd to the profoundly human, all while preserving the spirit of a man who prized honesty above flattery. Listeners will come away with a richer, more nuanced portrait of an era where splendor and suffering walked hand in hand.