
audiobook
Produced by Mireille Harmelin, Eric Vautier and the Online
MÉMOIRES D'UNE CONTEMPORAINE, - OU - SOUVENIRS D'UNE FEMME SUR LES PRINCIPAUX PERSONNAGES DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE, DU CONSULAT, DE L'EMPIRE, ETC.
TOME SECOND.
PARIS.
TABLE PAR ORDRE ALPHABÉTIQUE DES NOMS CITÉS DANS LE SECOND VOLUME DES MÉMOIRES D'UNE CONTEMPORAINE.
CHAPITRE XXX.
CHAPITRE XXXI.
CHAPITRE XXXII.
CHAPITRE XXXIII.
CHAPITRE XXXIV.
A candid voice guides listeners through the turbulence of the French Revolution, the rise of the Consulate and the grandeur of the Empire, all seen through the eyes of a woman who moved in the circles of power. She recalls bustling salons, public celebrations and solemn ceremonies, offering vivid snapshots of celebrated leaders, artists and aristocrats without the grandiose language of official histories. Her observations blend personal intrigue with the broader political currents, making the era feel immediate and alive.
Interwoven with these historical portraits are the narrator’s intimate reflections on love and duty, especially her complex ties to two prominent generals. She contrasts the calm, respectful affection she feels for one with the daring, passionate allure of the other, revealing how personal desire intersected with public reputation. These memoirs provide a rare, nuanced portrait of a period where private lives and grand events were inseparably linked.
Full title
Mémoires d'une contemporaine. Tome 2 Souvenirs d'une femme sur les principaux personnages de la République, du Consulat, de l'Empire, etc... Souvenirs d'une femme sur les principaux personnages de la République, du Consulat, de l'Empire, etc...
Language
fr
Duration
~6 hours (400K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Mar 29, 2009
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1778–1845
Best known by the pen name Ida Saint-Elme, she turned a famously adventurous life in the Napoleonic era into vivid memoirs that made her a sensation with 19th-century readers. Her story blends theater, travel, scandal, and firsthand glimpses of a Europe in upheaval.
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