Louis XIV

by Vincent Cronin

Book Overview

First published 25 years ago, this biography of the Sun King uses contemporary sources to examine what sort of monarch Louis XIV really was. The author's researches reveal a portrait of the man and an... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1860460925
• ISBN13: 9781860460920
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Harvill Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An elegant ,intelligent ,well-written overview - well judged

This is an intelligent, elegantly written book which draws fluently on the political, cultural, economic and military tales of the time. My wife and I read this to ourselves before going to bed and there is nothing dry, scholarly or pedantic about it. It is what general history should be like. I might be tempted to give it ***** but I think that should be reserved for something quite exceptional. Nonetheless this is a balanced,informed and well-written book about a key figure in the history of western civilization. Clearly the man was a strutting vainglorious fop but still today when his military achievements seem thin and his judgement in political and religious matters extremely questionable the reign of Louis XIV can still be seen be one where a civilization was in full flower.

A readers nightmare, a researchers dream!

Louis XIV was a fact-filled book that I used as a reference site in order to complete a research paper. The book worked perfectly for my purposes, and didn't really take me all that long to finish. However, as a whole, for someone wanting to read this book for fun, I'd advise against it. While it was not bad, I was taking notes every other line, so I can't imagine the reason for anyone else to read it. Looking for fun? Buy a comic book.