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Rating: 
Summary: A Very Politically Involved Mistress
Review: I was hoping for insight on more of the private life of Pompadour; instead, I got a very in-depth account of her political involvement. These were so detailed that at times, I tired of the seemingly endless political escapades Pompadour was a involved in. Sometimes, the book felt more like a biography 18th century French politics rather than the life of Pompadour. Her life was abrupt and her time as the romantic love of Louis XV's even shorter. After it was obvious that Louis XV no longer looked to her as a romantic partner, Pompadour positioned herself as a confidant, a friend, an advisor, among many other roles. This made her a very well-known woman in French royal society; some dubbed her as the Prime Minister of France, others called her the true Queen. While this book was well researched and well written, I still feel that it's a pity that this book focused more on her foray into politics rather than the overall doings of her private life.
Rating: 
Summary: Apres moi, le deluge
Review: Louis XV, historically France's "bien-aime, is rendered here the "bien-damne." Algrant's vision cuts deeply across historical accounts of both the king and his mistress. Students of French literature will recognize Madame de Pompadour portrayed as the intelligent and enlightened patroness of the arts.
That the seeds of Louis XVI's demise were sown in the reign of Louis XV is not news. However, the degree of Louis XV's dereliction of duty and almost lecherous exploitation of teenage concubines portrays him beyond merely oblivious to the state of his country. He becomes almost "Nero-esque."
While Louis XV "fiddled," Madame de Pompadour "burned" passionately with grandiose political schemes taking on the role of Prime Minister. Her political disasters drained France of both blood and money as she waged war against England and Prussia simultaneously. Additionally the monarch and former mistress carried on an aggressive building program. It is apparent why she was so greatly despised by the general French population, and remarkable that the French Revolution was delayed until some twenty-five years after her death. I cannot improve on a comment offered by Alistair Horne "...Madame de Pompadour makes you hear the rattle of the tumbrels, just thirty years down the road."
Rating:
Summary: Apres moi, le deluge
Review: Louis XV, historically France's "bien-aime, is rendered here the "bien-damne." Algrant's vision cuts deeply across historical accounts of both the king and his mistress. Students of French literature will recognize Madame de Pompadour portrayed as the intelligent and enlightened patroness of the arts.
That the seeds of Louis XVI's demise were sown in the reign of Louis XV is not news. However, the degree of Louis XV's dereliction of duty and almost lecherous exploitation of teenage concubines portrays him beyond merely oblivious to the state of his country. He becomes almost "Nero-esque."
While Louis XV "fiddled," Madame de Pompadour "burned" passionately with grandiose political schemes taking on the role of Prime Minister. Her political disasters drained France of both blood and money as she waged war against England and Prussia simultaneously. Additionally the monarch and former mistress carried on an aggressive building program. It is apparent why she was so greatly despised by the general French population, and remarkable that the French Revolution was delayed until some twenty-five years after her death. I cannot improve on a comment offered by Alistair Horne "...Madame de Pompadour makes you hear the rattle of the tumbrels, just thirty years down the road."
Rating: 
Summary: Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Maitresse du Roi
Review: Madame Pompadour broke through an enormous social barrier for women of society - she was the first of the bourgeoisie to be appointed "official mistress" to a French King. (Even in the Court of Versailles, women faced glass ceilings). Her relationship with Louis XV, a man of immense carnal appetites, was hardly the stuff of which romance is made: she was groomed for her role by a clique of favor-seeking investment bankers, who duly cashed in when she achieved influence. Pompadour's real talent - and greatest legacy - was her patronage of arts and literature, most notably Boucher and Voltaire, but also the fine arts such as the porcelain works as Sevres. Her role in policy, on the other hand, was hardly beneficial in the long run: for all the talented ministers she was able to promote, none of them solved the profound inequities of ancien regime France. What, though, could be expected under the reign of Louis XV? As Pevitt demonstrates, he must qualify as one of history's most boorish (and depraved) leaders. This is a well-balanced biography - giving all due credit to Pompadour's good taste and cultured eye, yet ruthless in exposing her pettiness and pretentiousness.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Politically Involved Mistress
Review: Madame Pompadour broke through an enormous social barrier for women of society - she was the first of the bourgeoisie to be appointed "official mistress" to a French King. (Even in the Court of Versailles, women faced glass ceilings). Her relationship with Louis XV, a man of immense carnal appetites, was hardly the stuff of which romance is made: she was groomed for her role by a clique of favor-seeking investment bankers, who duly cashed in when she achieved influence. Pompadour's real talent - and greatest legacy - was her patronage of arts and literature, most notably Boucher and Voltaire, but also the fine arts such as the porcelain works as Sevres. Her role in policy, on the other hand, was hardly beneficial in the long run: for all the talented ministers she was able to promote, none of them solved the profound inequities of ancien regime France. What, though, could be expected under the reign of Louis XV? As Pevitt demonstrates, he must qualify as one of history's most boorish (and depraved) leaders. This is a well-balanced biography - giving all due credit to Pompadour's good taste and cultured eye, yet ruthless in exposing her pettiness and pretentiousness.
Rating:
Summary: INCISIVE AND THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED
Review: Remembered today in narratives of the past, heralded in poetry and song, Madame de Pompadour, born Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson in 1721, continues to be a fascinating and enigmatic figure. The daughter of a mother noted for her beauty and high spirits, Jeanne inherited both of these qualities. In addition, a fortune teller predicted that the little girl would one day be the mistress of Louis XV. This foretelling Jeanne later told Voltaire "struck her with the force of a thunderbolt." And, it was a prophecy that the young woman seemed hellbent on fulfilling. Christine Pevitt Algrant's comprehensive and cogent portrait of the woman who would, indeed, become the most potent force in the court of Louis XV is a welcome addition to the annals of history, as it includes a telling picture of a troubled France. Courtiers were shocked when the humbly born Poisson became recognized as the king's maitresse declaree. After all, the king's prior inamoratas had all been members of the elite, born of royal lineage. However, it was one thing to become his lover, and quite something else to become his sole confidante and the power behind the throne. A title was purchased for her thus the transformation into Madame de Pompadour was complete. She was reviled by many, and obeyed by all. With Versailles as her backdrop she became an important patron of the arts, nurturing such luminaries as Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau, and Boucher. It was she who masterminded the building of the Petit Trianon Palace at Versailles. Yet as a part of the world continued to be torn her quest for power was unsatisfied. France and England were at odds, and she cast a pall over the treaty allying France with her hated Austria. She succeeded in removing her enemies from positions of influence, and replacing them with trusted friends. Her creation of an opulent court incurred public wrath, and her political maneuverings created foes in court. Nonetheless, the king's trust in his paramour never waned. Incisive and thoroughly researched "Madame de Pompadour" bursts with color and intrigue. It is fact even more fascinating than fiction. - Gail Cooke
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