Thank YOU!

Didishroom Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:14 am

Dear Mrs. Russell,

I would like to tell you a little bit of how big an influence you've been on me. When I was little I heard an old song by Alan Sherman in which he sings about "ol' King Louis XVI" who was the "worst since Louis the First!" I remember my mother telling me that was not true and in fact he and his wife, Marie Antoinette,were the complete opposite. For some reason that triggered an interest in the royal couple that has never left me. I remember Anne Carroll's "Christ the King, Lord of History" in seventh grade and her brief defense of the royal couple. I was completely hooked. Upon entering high school, I discovered on my parents' bookshelf a paperback with a yellow tinted cover depiction of who I recognized to be Marie Antoinette. It was called "Trianon." I read it three times that summer. I thought it was the most wonderful story I ever read. The best part was how it was completely opposite of what the average person thought of Louis and Antoinette. I felt as if I had discovered a secret, and was privy to things the layman wasn't. I wanted to learn more and more.

Unfortunately I bought Even Lever's biography and saw my wonderful heroine portrayed as a mindless, adulterous and completely uninteresting bimbo. The image of the wonderful, strong mother of "Trianon" was destroyed. I was quite heartbroken. I concluded your Antoinette was perhaps a strong reaction to the "Let them eat Cake" caricature and dosed with heavy "TradCat." Fast forward to college and I discovered your wonderful blog "Tea at Trianon" and read every past article on Louis and Marie. I was ecstatic! All of the wonderful anecdotes that shaped the beautiful characters from "Trianon" were real and with sources to back them up! I found the posts to be thought provoking, intelligent, objective and fact based. I was reading real history, and not reactionary 'TradCat" fluff.

I still read your blog every day as well as the wonderful "Treasure for your Pleasure"(vivelareine.tumblr.com). Marie Antoinette has truly become my passion and number one interest. For my college thesis, I chose her as my subject. I was a Fine Arts major. If you are interested in any of work you can check out my own blog here! http://dennisbudesheim.tumblr.com/ I have a variety of subject matter with a heavy emphases on Marie Antoinette.

I would like to say thank you for all your dedication and research on this woman. I would like to thank you also for instilling that passion for her in me. She continues to seduce and charm today as much, if not more, as she did will living. Smile

Ree Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:14 am

I really enjoy the blog...Marvelous that we will have a nice forum to chat and discuss subjects...BRAVO!!!

Elena Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:51 am

Didishroom wrote:Dear Mrs. Russell,

I would like to tell you a little bit of how big an influence you've been on me. When I was little I heard an old song by Alan Sherman in which he sings about "ol' King Louis XVI" who was the "worst since Louis the First!" I remember my mother telling me that was not true and in fact he and his wife, Marie Antoinette,were the complete opposite. For some reason that triggered an interest in the royal couple that has never left me. I remember Anne Carroll's "Christ the King, Lord of History" in seventh grade and her brief defense of the royal couple. I was completely hooked. Upon entering high school, I discovered on my parents' bookshelf a paperback with a yellow tinted cover depiction of who I recognized to be Marie Antoinette. It was called "Trianon." I read it three times that summer. I thought it was the most wonderful story I ever read. The best part was how it was completely opposite of what the average person thought of Louis and Antoinette. I felt as if I had discovered a secret, and was privy to things the layman wasn't. I wanted to learn more and more.

Unfortunately I bought Even Lever's biography and saw my wonderful heroine portrayed as a mindless, adulterous and completely uninteresting bimbo. The image of the wonderful, strong mother of "Trianon" was destroyed. I was quite heartbroken. I concluded your Antoinette was perhaps a strong reaction to the "Let them eat Cake" caricature and dosed with heavy "TradCat." Fast forward to college and I discovered your wonderful blog "Tea at Trianon" and read every past article on Louis and Marie. I was ecstatic! All of the wonderful anecdotes that shaped the beautiful characters from "Trianon" were real and with sources to back them up! I found the posts to be thought provoking, intelligent, objective and fact based. I was reading real history, and not reactionary 'TradCat" fluff.

I still read your blog every day as well as the wonderful "Treasure for your Pleasure"(vivelareine.tumblr.com). Marie Antoinette has truly become my passion and number one interest. For my college thesis, I chose her as my subject. I was a Fine Arts major. If you are interested in any of work you can check out my own blog here! http://dennisbudesheim.tumblr.com/ I have a variety of subject matter with a heavy emphases on Marie Antoinette.

I would like to say thank you for all your dedication and research on this woman. I would like to thank you also for instilling that passion for her in me. She continues to seduce and charm today as much, if not more, as she did will living.

Dear Didishroom,

Thank you very much. I am deeply touched. sunny

I have seen you for many years on various forums and have always been impressed by your knowledge and careful answers. I am overjoyed that you have become a member of this forum. Please feel free to introduce any topics that you see fit, or elaborate on the ones that are already there.

As you can imagine, Madame Lever's bio is not one of my favorites. In her book on the Queen's letters, she counts among the Queen's authenticated letters those that may be spurious, so I do not have a high regard for her ability to weigh evidence. Neutral

Welcome to one whom I have long regarded as a friend. Thank you for sharing your beautiful blog which I will add to the sidebar of Tea at Trianon. Very Happy