Product Description
The musical superstar of 18th-century France was Joseph Boulogne—a black man. This inspiring story tells how Joseph, the only child of a black slave and her white master, becomes "the most accomplished man in Europe." After traveling from his native West Indies to study music in Paris, young Joseph is taunted about his skin color. Despite his classmates' cruel words, he continues to devote himself to his violin, eventually becoming conductor of a whole orchestra. Joseph begins composing his own operas, which everyone acknowledges to be magnifique. But will he ever reach his dream of performing for the king and queen of France? This lushly illustrated book by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome introduces us to a talented musician and an overlooked figure in black history. ... Read more

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Kapitel: Konferenz Von Guadeloupe, Hurrikan Lenny, Joseph Boulogne, Maryse Condé, Flagge Guadeloupes, Kassav', Flughafen Pointe-À-Pitre, Nationalpark Guadeloupe, Zouk, Roger Fanfant, Wappen Guadeloupes, Communauté de Communes Du Sud Basse-Terre, Communauté de Communes Du Nord Basse Terre, Communauté de Communes Du Nord Grande-Terre. Aus Wikipedia. Nicht dargestellt. Auszug:Guadeloupe (French pronunciation: ; English: ; Antillean Creole: Gwadloup) is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres (629 sq. mi) and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe is also one of the twenty-six regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic since 2007. As part of France, Guadeloupe is part of the European Union; hence, as for most EU countries, its currency is the euro. However, Guadeloupe does not fall under the Schengen Agreement. The prefecture and the capital of Guadeloupe is Basse-Terre. Christopher Colombus named the island Santa María de Guadalupe in 1493 after the Virgin Mary, venerated in the Spanish town of Guadalupe, in Extremadura. During his second trip to America, seeking fresh water in November 1493, Christopher Columbus became the first European to land on Guadeloupe. He called it Santa María de Guadalupe de Extremadura, after the image of the Virgin Mary venerated at the Spanish monastery of Villuercas, in Guadalupe, Extremadura. The expedition set ashore just south of Capesterre and did not leave any settlers ashore. Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the pineapple on the island of Guadeloupe in 1493, although the fruit had long been grown in South America. He called it piña de Indes, meaning "pine of the Indians." Guadeloupe in 1865After successful settlement on the island of St Chr...http://booksllc.net/?l=de ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

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Virtually forgotten until now, his life is the stuff of legend. Born in 1739 in Guadeloupe to a slave mother and a French noble father, he became the finest swordsman of his age, an insider at the doomed court of Louis XVI, and, most of all, a virtuosic musician. A violinist, he directed the Olympic Society of Concerts, which was considered the finest in Europe in an age of great musicians, including Haydn, from whom he commissioned a symphony, and Mozart, to whom he was often compared. He also became the first Freemason of color, embracing the French Revolution with the belief that it would end the racism against which-despite his illustrious achievements-he struggled his whole life. This is the life of Joseph Bologne, known variously as Monsieur de Saint-George, the 'Black Mozart,' and, because of his origins, 'the American.' Alain Gud offers a fascinating account of this extra-ordinary individual, whose musical compositions are at long last being revived and whose story will never again be forgotten. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Book,
This book is a extremely well written biography of one of history's most talented, yet obscured persons. Saint-George was a man of immense talents, but could not overcome the stigma of belonging to two seperate worlds, one of acceptance, and one of color. The story is poignant in it's telling but tragic in it's ending. It is my strong desire to turn this story into a screenplay so that all the world can come to know the story of this tragic figure. A worthwhile read!

A Fascinating Individual
I became aware of St. Georges through harp history... his having been a teacher to Marie Anotoine - she being one who really helped advance and revolutionized the harp.Familiar with his music and wanting to know a bit more about him, I purchased this book.

Overall, I found the book very enjoiable.Perhaps one of them most important features of the book is the sections dealing with his joingin of/and place within the Masons, and their history as almost a "salon" for learned men.(Mozart was also a member.)

There is a really long, protracted history of the slave trade that I found both gratuitous, unneccessary, and ... irritating.It amounts to a treatise on why slavery is bad... and anyone interested in the telling of this fairly obscure historical life has all ready grasped that.Ironically, the issue of slavery and the place of blacks in French society is more needed to fully understand St. George's life in that society... and there is no mention of it.(There was white slavery in Britain - gentilely called indentured servitude - and the class system which amounted to slavery... so this was going on in France, too.)He mentions black children being kept as "pets" but doesn't mention what happened to them when they got older... yet there were enough blacks for St. George to command a regiment.So we have no persepective on his relations with any blacks other than Dumas.... one of the few who would have been his social and educational equal.

So while there are some gaps and problems with the book (noted by the reviewer with the historical corrections) - quoting previous fictionalized histories is common - still it is interesting, and there clearly is an amount of reasearch and it is overall an interesting read, the story of a person we don't hear much of.

Great info
I've seen this book priced for much more and in much worse shape than I've received.It's a great historical source on the Black french slave trade. The book itself was practically brand new and arrived very quickly.

a forgotten Renaissance man...
This was an excellent bio of a remarkable polymath.
Thank you Alain Guede for your fine curriculum vitae
on Monsieur Saint-George.
For those of us who enjoys a insightful,entertaining
and yes even inspiring non-fiction read.
Here is a Man whose story truly deserves to be widely read.
NOT TO BE MISSED!

A Great Tale Spoiled in the Retelling
I purchased this book after seeing a television documentary on Monsieur de Saint-George, and was fascinated by his life and achievements (and eager to hear more of his music).

Unfortunately, though the his life is fascinating and takes many turns, the quality of the storytelling here is not up to the task.As anyone who has read academic research will know, a remarkable topic can quickly be drowned out by droning prose.

Having said that,I felt at every point eager to hear the next twist or turn of this man's life.Perhaps someone will do him better service.

PS - Suggest if you decide to proceed with this book, that you purchase the music to listen to as you read.Perhaps it will improve the whole experience, and will definitely give you better insight into his achievements. ... Read more

Product Description
Long before the word "Super Star"was coined, Saint-George was the original.¿Many people throughout history have been famous for one reason oranother.¿ Many have made great contributionsto civilization and left great legacies.¿Their paintings and sculptures we still admire.¿ Their discoveries have made our lives better;their music we still play and sing, but no one in history was as talented in somany areas as Saint-George.¿ For a time,he was the greatest fencer in the world.¿He was an exceptional violinist and along with his teacher, Gossec, he pioneered the composition of the StringQuartet.¿ Even Mozart came to Paristo study this new form of music.¿Saint-George was an unequaled equestrian, an exceptional marksman and anelegant dancer.¿ The wealthy copied theway he dressed, and the common people admired him as he walked through thestreets, and whispered his name.¿ He wasa true Renaissance man and a "super star" in the Paris of King Louis XVI andMarie Antoinette.What is even more remarkable wasthe fact that he was a mulatto. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Conflicts with other recent biographies
In my opinion, "The Black Mozart" often conflicts with other recent biographies I have read, by Emil F. Smidak (1996), Alain Guédé (2003) and Claude Ribbe (2004). Also, the cover of Guédé's book says: "Monsieur de Saint-George: Virtuoso, Swordsman, Revolutionary", "A Legendary Life Rediscovered", "Alain Guédé".The title page of "The Black Mozart" reads: "The Black Mozart, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges", "Monsieur de Saint-George: Virtuoso, Swordsman, Revolutionary", "A Legendary Life Rediscovered" "by Walter E. Smith". Mr. Smith makes frequent use of the term "mulatto" as if it were acceptable. Prof. Claude Ribbe, a French historian of African descent, writes that "mulatto" was as insulting and demeaning in Saint-George's time as it is today. Smith quotes from books published in 1963 and 1972 but does not mention the biographies which benefit from subsequent historical research. Errors are numerous. On Page 1 Smith says: "Guadeloupe consists of several smaller islands nearby, like La Desirade, Marie Galante and Les Saintes." He also states: "Even today, all of these islands are still French colonies". In fact, Guadeloupe has long been an Overseas Department.It is part of France, not a colony. Prof. Ribbe's book, "Le chevalier de Saint-George", is only available in French. The other two biographies can be found in both French and English. ... Read more

Product Description
Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (1802-1870) was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo (1845), The Three Musketeers (1844), and The Man in the Iron Mask (1848) were serialized, and he also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent. Though best known now as a novelist, He earned his first fame as a dramatist. His Henri III et sa Cour (1829) was the first of the great Romantic historical dramas produced on the Paris stage, preceding Victor Hugo's more famous Hernani (1830). He was also a wellknown travel writer, writing such books as From Paris to Cadiz (1847), and Travel Impressions: In Russia (1860). His other works include Twenty Years After (1845), The Two Dianas (1846), Queen Margot (1845), The Black Tulip (1850), The Wolf-Leader (1857), and The Knight of Sainte-Hermine (1869).

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Customer Reviews (1)

Beware which edition you buy
Beware which edition you buy. This is part of a multivolume series by Dumas. It has been translated and published numerous times over the last hundred years and most of those, including this one are inaccurate. What they don't tell you is this copy is abridged! It leaves out about HALF of the original text. The full text should consist of nearly 900 pages, usually in 2 volumes. The same is true for most of the 20th century editions of the rest of the series. In fact some leave out so much that the plot becomes impossible to follow. It is quite madening. Good luck in your search for a better product. ... Read more

Product Description
Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father", akin to Senior in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (1802-1870) was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo (1845), The Three Musketeers (1844), and The Man in the Iron Mask (1848) were serialized, and he also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent. Though best known now as a novelist, He earned his first fame as a dramatist. His Henri III et sa Cour (1829) was the first of the great Romantic historical dramas produced on the Paris stage, preceding Victor Hugo's more famous Hernani (1830). He was also a wellknown travel writer, writing such books as From Paris to Cadiz (1847), and Travel Impressions: In Russia (1860). His other works include Twenty Years After (1845), The Two Dianas (1846), Queen Margot (1845), The Black Tulip (1850), The Wolf-Leader (1857), and The Knight of Sainte-Hermine (1869).

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Customer Reviews (3)

Too slow
I love old English period book plots.That being said, I read about 100 pages of the Queens Necklace and wondered if it was ever going anywhere.I couldn't take it anymore, I deleted it.If anyone else has read it and finds it finally had a plot and an actual culmination, please let me know.Reluctantly I may try to pick it back up again... but there are too many other good things to read!

A mediocre translation or was Dumas having a bad-book day? *Review for Wildside Press Edition*
Inquiring minds want to know, although I'm going to lean towards the former. The Queen's Necklace begins ten years after the close of Memoirs of a Physician, as France recovers from the grips of a deadly winter and Marie Antoinette takes pity on Jeanne de Valois who claims to be descended from the Valois side of the monarchy, albeit from the wrong side of the blanket. Jeanne soon takes up with Cardinal de Rohan who in an effort to ingratiate himself at court offers the stunning necklace originally intended as a gift for the infamous Madame du Barry to the Queen. Thus begins Dumas' take on the well known "Affair of the Diamond Necklace" which scandalized France and further degraded public opinion of the monarchy.

Dumas brings characters from the first two books into this story, as the mysterious Balsamo reappears under the new name of Count Cagliostro, Andrée resides at court in service to Marie and falls in love with the Count de Charny (who loves the Queen) and Philip (called Philippe in this book) returns from America and also finds himself madly in love with the Queen. Andrée's former servant Nicole (who bears a striking resemblance to the Queen) now goes by the name of Oliva and is drawn into Jeane's schemes as she masquerades as the Queen setting off further scandals, and eventually Marie and de Charny are caught in a compromising position which leads to a drastic ploy by Marie to save both herself and de Charny. Will this ploy fulfill the secret desire of our heroine Andrée, or does a twist of fate forever change her happiness to great sorrow? I'll never tell, but that was one heck of a plot twist!

Unfortunately, what should have been a ripping good read was ruined by a dreadful translation. I've read many works of Dumas and his storylines always move quickly with plentiful action and sparkling dialogue and displays the foibles and machinations of the French Monarchy to perfection. This book was stilted, slow paced with some of the most un-Dumas like dialogue I've ever come across. Worse yet, since most chapters were 3-4 pages long (this from an author who was paid by the word!!??) and from comparing the page count of this version (329) to that of another (432) I'm guessing quite a bit of the story was left out, and frankly I would have bailed on the book except for the fact that I intend to read the rest of the series and didn't want to lose the story. The first two in the series of six I've read were much older publications, published in the early 1900's by P.F. Collier and Son. If you are interested in reading the entire series I recommend you check your library and/or shop the online used sellers for one of those copies.Next up in the series, Taking the Bastile.

I do want to note that this review is for the Wildside Press edition and my comments about translation problems should not be reflected against other publishers of this book. I'm stating this as I notice that any reviews posted for one version of this book are showing up on others, and I suspect my review will show up on those editions as well.

amazing
this book is amazing!!! loved it. decided to read it because of a friend's advise and now i will recommend it to anyone!!! ... Read more