The Schemes of the Kaiser

In this fascinating compilation, a fierce French voice from the turn of the century steps into the spotlight. Juliette Adam, a veteran of the nation’s cultural and political battles, channels more than four decades of relentless advocacy for France’s honor. Her writings capture the restless spirit of a woman who refused to let the loss of Alsace‑Lorraine fade from memory, insisting that the nation’s destiny hinged on confronting German power.

The selected “Letters on Foreign Politics” reveal her sharp analysis of Bismarck’s ambitions, her rallying cry for a Franco‑Russian alliance, and her critique of colonial distractions that she believed weakened France’s preparedness for a final showdown. Adam’s prose is unabashedly combative, yet it also offers a vivid portrait of the era’s ideological currents—nationalism, revanchism, and the struggle between duty and compromise. Listeners will gain a vivid sense of the intellectual fire that helped shape French public opinion on the eve of the Great War.