More French Queens, courtesy of Simone Bertieres

I've read the last three volumes of Reines de France au temps des Bourbons. Marie-Antoinette, Louis XV's sisters, mistresses galore. It's all here. I had read a lot about these, but I think the interpretation of the marital problems of Louis and Marie-Antoinette was novel (various historians come up with different conclusions about why their marriage wasn't consummated for 7 years -- he needed and was afraid of a circumcision; she was unstimulated and had pain on penetration and he wouldn't press the issue). I also liked the interpretation that she rebelled against the stodginess of the French court, and how she came to appreciate her husband's strength when they were emprisonned. It was all very sad, of course. People famous in history generally lead unhappy lives.