Talleyrand
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: Wear and tear
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: Jacket protected by mylar sleeve. Light Foxing on block.
A masterwork of political biography, Talleyrand chronicles the extraordinary life of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the cunning French statesman who navigated the treacherous currents of the Revolution, the Napoleonic Empire, and the Restoration with unmatched diplomatic genius. Duff Cooper presents his subject not as the treacherous villain of popular legend, but as a pragmatic patriot whose overriding loyalty was always to France itself, arguing persuasively that Talleyrand's famous betrayals were acts of statesmanship rather than mere opportunism. Written with the elegant wit and authority of a seasoned diplomat-author, the narrative illuminates the grand sweep of European history through the lens of one of its most fascinating and misunderstood architects. Cooper details the Congress of Vienna with particular brilliance, illustrating how Talleyrand single-handedly restored a defeated France to a position of dignity and influence among the great powers. Rich in psychological insight and historical depth, this biography remains one of the finest portraits of political survival ever written.
Author: Duff Cooper
Format: Hardback
Published: 1947, Jonathan Cape: The Bedford Historical Series
Genre: Biography
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: Wear and tear
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: Jacket protected by mylar sleeve. Light Foxing on block.
A masterwork of political biography, Talleyrand chronicles the extraordinary life of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the cunning French statesman who navigated the treacherous currents of the Revolution, the Napoleonic Empire, and the Restoration with unmatched diplomatic genius. Duff Cooper presents his subject not as the treacherous villain of popular legend, but as a pragmatic patriot whose overriding loyalty was always to France itself, arguing persuasively that Talleyrand's famous betrayals were acts of statesmanship rather than mere opportunism. Written with the elegant wit and authority of a seasoned diplomat-author, the narrative illuminates the grand sweep of European history through the lens of one of its most fascinating and misunderstood architects. Cooper details the Congress of Vienna with particular brilliance, illustrating how Talleyrand single-handedly restored a defeated France to a position of dignity and influence among the great powers. Rich in psychological insight and historical depth, this biography remains one of the finest portraits of political survival ever written.