A biography of Count Alfred d’Orsay, a dandy, soldier and celebrity in Nineteenth Century Britain and France. It’s an interesting read for anyone interested in the Regency to Victorian period.
Count d’Orsay met with most of the great names of the time, Dickens, Thackery, Byron and many others, and drew them.
The book is interesting but irritatingly does not provide translations of the french quotes, and although I do understand them in a general way I’m sure there’s implications I missed with not having an in depth knowledge of french. It follows Count d’Orsay’s life from birth to death and sometimes doesn’t get as in depth as you’d perhaps like. His life was tinged with scandal as he was closely linked to both Lord and Lady Blessinton, possibly sexually close. The Bibliography is extensive and it’s well indexed.
Nick Foulkes is quite nasty about the Irish of the period and also has a tendency to be a bit judgemental about manners and mores of the time.