"Examination of predominantly primary sources focuses on discourses of women and women's issues in light of the prevailing view of the relationship between the physical and the moral in feminine bodies and minds. Burton discusses France's first national system of midwifery education, women's medicine and surgery, and medical law"--Provided by publisher.

A magisterial reconstruction and analysis of the heated debates around the 'woman question' during the French Third Republic.

A sweeping novel about the extraordinary woman who captured Napoleon’s heart, created a dynasty, and changed the course of history—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Traitor's Wife, The Accidental Empress, and Sisi “I absolutely loved The Queen’s Fortune, the fascinating, little-known story of Desiree Clary—the woman Napoleon left for Josephine—who ultimately triumphed and became queen of Sweden.”—Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine. A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head. Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor? From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart. Allison Pataki’s meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps readers into the unbelievable life of a woman almost lost to history—a woman who, despite the swells of a stunning life and a tumultuous time, not only adapts and survives but, ultimately, reigns at the helm of a dynasty that outlasts an empire.

A revolutionary reinterpretation of the French past, focused on contesting and defending masculine hierarchy in relations between women and men.

Napoleon, died on the lonely island of St Helena in 1821, his life, his actions and thoughts have been written about, re-written and revised ever since. It is noticeable that Napoleon himself never left much in the way of works written by himself to record what he did or how he went about it, or to justify his methods or outline his plans. The works that emanated from St Helena, such as the Memorial, were written by those that shared his captivity and for their own purposes. That having been said Napoleon lived in a time without modern communication methods, leaving his vast empire to be run via the pen. Much that Napoleon wrote survived as a measure of this the official correspondence that he left behind is voluminous, running to 32 volumes in the initial edition published under the orders of Napoleon III, many other volumes were published thereafter. From this vast treasure-trove of information about the thoughts, actions and orders that Napoleon left, the American historian Robert Johnson reconstructed his book “The Corsican”. The premise behind the books was to create a diary from Napoleon’s own works and utterances as if it has been written contemporaneously by the Emperor himself. The result is an intriguing book which is faithful to the words of it’s purported owner and includes the shifting themes of his life and his hopes and fears clearly. Fascinating reading. Author – Napoleon I – Emperor of the French 1769-1821 Editor – Robert Matteson Johnson 1867-1920

Author McLynn explores the Promethean legend from his Corsican roots, through the chaotic years of the French Revolution and his extraordinary military triumphs, to the coronation in 1804, to his fatal decision in 1812 to add Russia to his seemingly endless conquests, and his ultimate defeat, imprisonment, and death in Saint Helena. McLynn aptly reveals the extent to which Napoleon was both existential hero and plaything of fate, mathematician and mystic, intellectual giant and moral pygmy, great man and deeply flawed human being.