The Other BonapartesLiterally thousands of books have been written about Napoleon. By comparison, far fewer have been written about members of his family. Napoleon had seven brothers and sisters and two wives.
Marie Paulette (Pauline) Bonaparte (1780-1825), also known as the Princess and Duchess of Guastalla, was considered Napoleon's favorite sister. In later and worse times, Pauline traveled to Elba to see her brother in exile; the only member of his family who did.
A new biography by Flora Fraser, Pauline Bonaparte: Venus of Empire, gives a detailed and fascinating account of the life of this superstar of the Napoleonic era. Pauline left her own mark on French society and made quite a bit of news on her own.
The Rose of Martinique: A Life of Napoleon's Josephine by Andrea Stuart presents Josephine's life story. As a poorly educated Caribbean aristocrat from a Martinique sugar plantation, Josephine's first marriage to a French nobleman was famous in its day. Her second marriage to Napoleon became legendary.
For readers who enjoy popular biographies with well-researched historical background information, both books are great choices.
Post by Bev Simmons
