Talleyrand

by Philip G. Dwyer

Book Overview

From church establishment figure to revolutionary, supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte to promoter of the Bourbon Restoration, the twists and turns of Charles Maurice Prince de Talleyrand's remarkable career through one of the most turbulent periods of French and European history continue to fascinate. Witty and wiley, cynical and charming, Talleyrand has been portrayed as a cynical opportunist, hypocrite, and traitor who betrayed governments whenever...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0582323843
• ISBN13: 9780582323841
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Not a primary source bio, but good supplemental piece

This slender volume should not be used as an introduction to Talleyrand. That being said, it's a wonderful resource for those who have a background in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era through the July restoration. This isn't really a biography, more of a study of M. de Talleyrand's policy decisions & how they can be interpreted. The heart of this work is the question of the character & efficacy of Talleyrand - was he a manipulative Machiavel who overthrew governments will-he-nil-he or did his actions stem from a deeply held believe system which he consistently pursued throughout his controversial career? Again, this is a work seeking to clarify - it's a telescope look at a distantly seen landscape. Dwyer in some senses demystifies some of the Talleyrand apocrypha which has been passed down through French history and attempts to approach this fascinating subjects objectively (and mostly succeeds). He's obviously fairly sympathetic to Talleyrand, yet isn't fawningly credulous of every event described in Talleyrand's own memoirs. Therefore, I recommend this book as a supplemental, not a main source on Talleyrand. And overall, it's a very well-done, if slightly dry, work.