The Mistress of Paris

The 19th-Century Courtesan Who Built an Empire on a Secret

Nonfiction, History, France, Biography & Memoir, Historical
Cover of the book The Mistress of Paris by Catherine Hewitt, St. Martin's Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Catherine Hewitt ISBN: 9781250120670
Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication: January 24, 2017
Imprint: St. Martin's Press Language: English
Author: Catherine Hewitt
ISBN: 9781250120670
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication: January 24, 2017
Imprint: St. Martin's Press
Language: English

Catherine Hewitt's The Mistress of Paris is a fantastically readable biography of a nineteenth-century Parisian courtesan who harbored an incredible secret.

“A gorgeous, smart, ambitious, hard-working, steely autodidact and businesswoman whose product was herself, Valtesse would be totally at home in our self-branding society.” **—**The New York Times Book Review

Comtesse Valtesse de la Bigne was painted by Édouard Manet and inspired Émile Zola, who immortalized her in his scandalous novel Nana. Her rumored affairs with Napoleon III and the future King Edward VII kept gossip columns full. But her glamorous existence hid a dark secret: she was no comtesse.

Valtesse was born into abject poverty, raised on a squalid backstreet among the dregs of Parisian society. Yet she transformed herself into an enchantress who possessed a small fortune, three mansions, fabulous carriages, and art the envy of connoisseurs across Europe. A consummate show-woman, she ensured that her life—and even her death—remained shrouded in just enough mystery to keep her audience hungry for more.

Spectacularly evoking the sights and sounds of mid- to late nineteenth-century Paris in all its hedonistic glory, Catherine Hewitt’s biography tells, for the first time ever in English, the forgotten story of a remarkable woman who, though her roots were lowly, never stopped aiming high.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Catherine Hewitt's The Mistress of Paris is a fantastically readable biography of a nineteenth-century Parisian courtesan who harbored an incredible secret.

“A gorgeous, smart, ambitious, hard-working, steely autodidact and businesswoman whose product was herself, Valtesse would be totally at home in our self-branding society.” **—**The New York Times Book Review

Comtesse Valtesse de la Bigne was painted by Édouard Manet and inspired Émile Zola, who immortalized her in his scandalous novel Nana. Her rumored affairs with Napoleon III and the future King Edward VII kept gossip columns full. But her glamorous existence hid a dark secret: she was no comtesse.

Valtesse was born into abject poverty, raised on a squalid backstreet among the dregs of Parisian society. Yet she transformed herself into an enchantress who possessed a small fortune, three mansions, fabulous carriages, and art the envy of connoisseurs across Europe. A consummate show-woman, she ensured that her life—and even her death—remained shrouded in just enough mystery to keep her audience hungry for more.

Spectacularly evoking the sights and sounds of mid- to late nineteenth-century Paris in all its hedonistic glory, Catherine Hewitt’s biography tells, for the first time ever in English, the forgotten story of a remarkable woman who, though her roots were lowly, never stopped aiming high.

More books from St. Martin's Press

Cover of the book Bet Your Life by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book After Dark by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Waiting For an Earl Like You by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book After the Fall by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Song of the Vikings by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book In Afghanistan by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Twelve Mighty Orphans by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Simple Sous Vide by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book The Living Great Lakes by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Full Scoop by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Mehndi by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book The Chieftains by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Scandal of the Year by Catherine Hewitt
Cover of the book Bound by Blood by Catherine Hewitt
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy