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The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues

de Susan Griffin

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405461,909 (3.2)9
From Pulitzer-Prize-nominated author Susan Griffin comes an unprecedented, provocative look at the dazzling world of the West’s first independent women, whose lively liaisons brought them unspoken influence, wealth, and freedom. While they charmed some of Europe’s most illustrious men honing their social skills as well as their sexual ones, the great courtesans gained riches, power, education, and sexual freedom in a time when other women were denied all of these. From Imperia of sixteenth-century Rome, who personified the Renaissance ideal of beauty; Mme. de Pompadour, the arbiter of all things fashionable in eighteenth-century Paris and Versailles; Liane de Pougy, known in France during the Belle Epoque as “Our National Courtesan”; to Sarah Bernhardt, who, following in her mother’s footsteps, supported herself in her early career with a second profession,The Book of the Courtesanstells the life stories and intricacies of the lavish lifestyles of these women. Unlike their geisha counterparts, courtesans neither lived in brothels nor bent their wills to suit their suitors. They were strong- willed, autonomous, and plucky. An open secret, their presence can be felt throughout our culture. The muses who enflamed the hearts and imaginations of our most celebrated artists, they were also artists in their own right. They wrote poetry and novels, invented the cancan at the Moulin Rouge, and presented celebrated acts at the Folies Bergères. They helped to influence and shape the sensibility of modern literature, painting, and fashion. When Greek sculptor Praxiteles wanted to depict Venus he used a famous courtesan as a model, as in later centuries Titian, Veronese, Raphael, Giorgione, and Boucher did when they painted goddesses. When Marcel Proust was a young man it was the courtesan Laure Hayman who took him under her wing, introducing him to the right people, and providing inspiration for one of literature’s greatest masterpieces. And they often had considerable political influence too. When King Louis XV needed advice on foreign affairs or appointments of state he turned to Jeanne du Barry as well as Pompadour. In her witty and insightful prose, as Griffin celebrates these alluring and fascinating women, she restores a lost legacy of women’s history. She gives us the stories of these amazing women who, starting from impoverished or unimpressive beginnings, garnered chateaux, fine coaches, fabulous collections of jewelry, and even aristocratic titles along the way. And through a brilliant exploration of their extraordinary abilities, skills, and talents which Griffin playfully categorizes as their virtues "Timing, Beauty, Cheek, Brilliance, Gaiety, Grace, and Charm" her book explains how, while helping themselves, through their often outrageous, always entertaining examples, the great courtesans not only enriched our cultural heritage but helped to liberate women from the social, sexual, and economic strictures that confined them. Intensively researched and beautifully crafted,The Book of the Courtesansdelves into scintillating but often hidden worlds, telling stories gleaned from many sources, including courtesans’ memoirs, presented along with stunning rare photographs to create memorable portraits of some of the most pivotal figures in women’s history.… (mais)
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» Veja também 9 menções

Exibindo 4 de 4
1.5 stars

Aburrido, escrito en un lenguaje denso, falto de equilibrio en los casos que aborda, lo cual hace pensar en desidia y comodidad en ka investigación. Además trabaja una peculiarísima, y confusa concepción de qué o quiénes fueron cortesanas. ( )
  Marlobo | Dec 24, 2022 |
The Book of the Courtesans is Susan Griffin's love letter to women of loose morals. For a book designated nonfiction, I found Griffin's writing to be more romance than history; she only peppers her daydreams of rags-to-riches courtesans and women of delightful freedom and tenacity with biographical information of the women themselves.

The title suggests a structured look at the "virtues" of courtesans throughout history, so the author's bias is neither unexpected nor unappreciated (after all, I purchased her book because of my own personal interest in the subject). For the most part, the virtues she lists are what a reader would expect from the subject matter: beauty, wit, grace. However, the author takes numerous liberties with her own structure, and includes "virtues" such as timing (which I wouldn't necessarily call a virtue), and even includes "Her Pink Rabbits" under the chapter on "Brilliance". Hhmmm.

The Book of the Courtesans is an exercise in purple prose and presumption as opposed to reliable research and true biography. While the reader will be treated to some information about the women who inspire Griffin's work, what they will largely encounter is Griffin's own romanticized imaginings of the world that these women create. ( )
1 vote London_StJ | Jun 19, 2010 |
I read this book out of an immense curiosity about what would make a woman choose to become a courtesan during the 18th and 19th centuries -- especially when she might, in many cases, become a governess instead. It turns out that many of these women didn't really have that choice, and instead were forced or obliged to become courtesans due to life circumstances OR because their mothers were courtesans and that was the only life they knew.

It's fascinating history, especially because there are few books that chronicle the darker sides of women's history in a respectful way. In fact, after reading this book, I'm aching to read Governess by Ruth Brandon so I can see the OTHER side of things.

While I very much enjoyed reading this book, my main issue with it is the flowery language that the author uses to describe the women and their lives -- the prose becomes exceedingly overwritten in places, and you wonder which parts are fact and which parts are the author's gushing adoration seeping through. To Griffin's credit, she does tell us about some negative aspects of the women's lives, but it didn't feel entirely balanced in the end.

The book is presented in chapters that each focus on a particular virtue -- Charm, Grace, Poise, etc. -- and I wouldn't say that was the best choice for organizing things, because it seems to be a bit of a stretch in some cases. I also took a bit of issue with the 'modern' courtesans that she chose to write about -- women who lived beyond the time of the courtesans but whom the author believed displayed their virtues -- such as Klondike Kate. I don't think 'courtesan' when she comes to mind, and even the author herself seems to admit that it's a bit of a stretch at times.

Still, on the whole the book gave me a lot of insight into these women's lives that I hadn't know about before, and I'm very interested in learning more about them and the society in which they lived. These women were a prominent part of their society, but their presence has been largely swept under the carpet... and yes, while a woman who sleeps with men for money or gems is a prostitute no matter what social circle she runs in, I find the psychological aspect/the circumstances that caused each one of them to enter this life to be fascinating and a very telling glimpse into the female psyche and the society of the day.

If this is a subject you might find interesting, I do recommend the book. Just be aware that the author seems a little less than objective at times, and you may need to supplement the reading with a bit of your own research when you're done (not that that's a bad thing, really). ( )
1 vote dk_phoenix | Jun 7, 2010 |
This book is helpful to me when I'm having what one neighbor called "fat & ugly& days. I love to read of silk & satin & power. I also need the reminder of how many more choices I have than these women who sound so much like me. ( )
  ewalrath | Jul 18, 2009 |
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From Pulitzer-Prize-nominated author Susan Griffin comes an unprecedented, provocative look at the dazzling world of the West’s first independent women, whose lively liaisons brought them unspoken influence, wealth, and freedom. While they charmed some of Europe’s most illustrious men honing their social skills as well as their sexual ones, the great courtesans gained riches, power, education, and sexual freedom in a time when other women were denied all of these. From Imperia of sixteenth-century Rome, who personified the Renaissance ideal of beauty; Mme. de Pompadour, the arbiter of all things fashionable in eighteenth-century Paris and Versailles; Liane de Pougy, known in France during the Belle Epoque as “Our National Courtesan”; to Sarah Bernhardt, who, following in her mother’s footsteps, supported herself in her early career with a second profession,The Book of the Courtesanstells the life stories and intricacies of the lavish lifestyles of these women. Unlike their geisha counterparts, courtesans neither lived in brothels nor bent their wills to suit their suitors. They were strong- willed, autonomous, and plucky. An open secret, their presence can be felt throughout our culture. The muses who enflamed the hearts and imaginations of our most celebrated artists, they were also artists in their own right. They wrote poetry and novels, invented the cancan at the Moulin Rouge, and presented celebrated acts at the Folies Bergères. They helped to influence and shape the sensibility of modern literature, painting, and fashion. When Greek sculptor Praxiteles wanted to depict Venus he used a famous courtesan as a model, as in later centuries Titian, Veronese, Raphael, Giorgione, and Boucher did when they painted goddesses. When Marcel Proust was a young man it was the courtesan Laure Hayman who took him under her wing, introducing him to the right people, and providing inspiration for one of literature’s greatest masterpieces. And they often had considerable political influence too. When King Louis XV needed advice on foreign affairs or appointments of state he turned to Jeanne du Barry as well as Pompadour. In her witty and insightful prose, as Griffin celebrates these alluring and fascinating women, she restores a lost legacy of women’s history. She gives us the stories of these amazing women who, starting from impoverished or unimpressive beginnings, garnered chateaux, fine coaches, fabulous collections of jewelry, and even aristocratic titles along the way. And through a brilliant exploration of their extraordinary abilities, skills, and talents which Griffin playfully categorizes as their virtues "Timing, Beauty, Cheek, Brilliance, Gaiety, Grace, and Charm" her book explains how, while helping themselves, through their often outrageous, always entertaining examples, the great courtesans not only enriched our cultural heritage but helped to liberate women from the social, sexual, and economic strictures that confined them. Intensively researched and beautifully crafted,The Book of the Courtesansdelves into scintillating but often hidden worlds, telling stories gleaned from many sources, including courtesans’ memoirs, presented along with stunning rare photographs to create memorable portraits of some of the most pivotal figures in women’s history.

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