This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

1. 1. Versailles

   A Biography of a Palace

   

   A sweeping cultural and architectural history of the palace at Versailles, tracing its transformation from a modest hunting lodge into the epicenter of royal power under Louis XIV, the choreography of court life and spectacle that sustained Bourbon authority, and the role of architecture, decoration, and gardens in projecting monarchy. It follows the site's decline and seizure during the Revolution, subsequent restorations and conversion into a national museum, and considers how Versailles has been remembered and instrumentalized in French political culture. Drawing on archival research and rich visual material, the book balances detailed attention to art, architecture and ritual with broader interpretations of symbolism, power and memory.

   Purchase from Bookshop.org