This book takes a bit to get through but it is so well researched. If you're looking to learn the history of this important building I highly recommend this book

A lovely history of one of the most important buildings in France. Deals with the political and social importance of the place, highly enjoyable.

This was a well-researched look into the history and influence of Versailles and why it is still relevant in today's world.

An excellent, tautly written summary of Versailles' importance to France, from its origins as a hunting lodge to a museum embodying some ephemeral socially agreed upon construct of the glory of the nation.

Many thanks go to Colin Jones, Basic Books, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.<br /><br />As a lover of history, especially French history, it's not uncommon to say one's read a book about Versailles. Not all cover from that great palace's inception to the 21st century. Jones does an excellent job of fleshing out the stages of its existence while adding photos to enrich the experience. Versailles has had a rough life. It's been used most intolerably. It's only recently in the scheme of things that the splendor has been updated and visitors can see what all the hype was about. Jones takes the reader on a journey through its grandeur to its vandalism and close to its extinction. The only reason I didn't rate this four stars was because it was so rote, so dry, so impersonal. True it was about a building, but I feel like it could have been spiced up a bit. Jones is a fine writer. Nothing wrong with his style. I just like a little more pizzazz.

A fascinating exploration of a fascinating place. Ive always been interested in French culture and history and, as this book shows, the palace of Versailles is a central part of that heritage in many ways.

“The place name derives from the old French versail, meaning a ploughed field.”

One of the places that attract the largest number of visitors visiting Paris is Versailles. Naturally, the beauty of the place and the richness of the ornamentations are the main factors that attract this mass of people, who find themselves in a place of historical importance that is fundamental for the history of France and of the whole world. The palace of Versailles was built by the Bourbons about 20 kilometers from Paris, easily accessible nowadays by car and public transport.

Versailles became the seat of the political power of the kingdom of France from 1682, when the King Louis XIV moved his court there, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789, at the dawn of the French Revolution. Important personages of world history have passed through the corridors of the palace, such as Louis XIV and his descendants, tzar Peter the Great and Marie Antoniette, Perrault, writers and musicians.
The palace was initially founded as a place for hunting retreat, it was chosen by the kings then as a holiday home, and then literally becomes the fulcrum of French power when the decides to transfer the entire court in this building, with thousands of workers and administrators. Even the nobles must be constantly present inside the building, because they are part of the administrative apparatus of the kingdom.

The author of the book does an excellent job in describing the various states of the building from its foundation up to the present day, paying particular attention to the mental mechanisms of the rulers who have succeeded since its foundation. The fortune of Versailles also depends on the consideration that the kings gave to this place. Sometimes there were those who wanted to continue to see Versailles as a center of power, sometimes there were those who wanted to have the kingdom under control from Paris directly.
Like all historic buildings Versailles has had several moments of wealth and decline, the author bends this fact very well. Unfortunately, at a certain point the narration appears arid, like a basic succession of facts and dates. In the long run, the reader may get tired.

Although the book is well written and includes a lot of historical and artistic informations, it all seems almost a storytelling of events, cold, without much interest from the author. The Writing, in fact, even if is very clear and easy to follow, appears cold and a bit like a school textbook. That said, this is my personal opinion, the book is very enjoyable, especially if you want to study the palace of Versailles and its gardens from a non-fictional historical point of view.
An interesting book, for sure, but from which I expected more.
I especially want to underline the skill of the author in knowing how to write about historical facts, not by playing academics: historical facts are well explained and the author demonstrates their impact on the building.
I recommend the book to those who love history and France, just remember that it is a nonfiction book. I appreciated the images and the little notes about daily stories of the building, fun facts about the people and servants. Really interesting is the focus on the republic periods.

Versailles is a historical account of the infamous palace in France from the early days of construction of the palace through modern day. I was hoping this would be more an account of the palace itself, to include the innovative approaches to the construction itself. These were essentially glossed over. What this book did cover was a good high level overview of the different monarchies that inhabited the palace and how that shaped its definition as a palace. There was a lot covered with little attention to detail, which just made this a good overall summary of Versailles, its inhabitants, and how it became the site thousands of tourists visit today. Unfortunately, this wasn't what I was expecting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

A vivid and comprehensive history of Versailles, its denizens, and its creators.

There isn't much that's new here if you know your French royal history, but Jones has done an admirable job of providing a thorough, superbly-researched, and all-encompassing volume on the subject.

Bonus points for stellar selection of photo plates accompanying the text.

Although I am an historian, I knew surprisingly little on the specifics of Versailles. Yes, I knew that it was turned to a hunting lodge to the palace that it is by Louis XIV and that it featured spectacularly in Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's downfall, but that was about it. This is a fantastic history of Versailles- Jones provides enough history and details to actually give you a solid foundation on the history of Versailles without continually overwhelming you with a mountain of minutia. A lot of architectural history tends to lean heavily into the history of the architect and/or the entire construction schedule. However, Jones balances the actual building with the people who lived in and around it.

I also very much appreciated that this continued on past the French Revolution. It is obvious (by the Instagram and blog posts that we see) that Versailles is still around to visit now, but when so many buildings didn't survive the Revolution, how this particular palace did was my biggest question. He also carried it into the modern period, and delves into the modern curators that brought Versailles into the twentieth century and beyond!

I have heard about Versailles, but I have never read a book about it. This book was very detailed and it was filled with interesting facts that I did not know about. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in castles, the French Revolution, and the French nobility.

This is an interesting look at the history and evolution of the palace of Versailles over the centuries, and it is measured and interesting and full of information. It is, as Jones notes, unique in English language studies of Versailles in that it considers the site's resonance after the French Revolution to the present day, particularly its tangled emotional importance between France and Germany in 1871 and 1918. I would like to have read more about its existence as a lieu de memoire, a 'memory palace' performing social and cultural historical work and linchpinning in the 20th and 21st century, as this is an interesting area jones opens up to consideration, but doesn't dwell on in enough depth - I'm fascinated.

I enjoyed this book a lot, as it gave me a greater appreciation for what it must have been like to really live in this famous building. It truly provides a sense of the palace, the challenges of living there, and how Louis XIV viewed it. It made me want to visit Versailles again.

TV viewers of the current series 'Versailles' (BBC) might do well to leave the dramatisation of the sexual liaisons behind and read this excellently researched book by Colin Jones about the history of the Palace itself.
In his introduction the author quote Charles Perrault who said, "the King had hardly said that there should be a palace than a wondrous palace emerged from the earth..." Within a few years from 1660 a small hunting lodge became (and still is) a magnificent large palace fit (said the King) for a King- in this instance a succession of Louis's.
I have visited Versailles myself and it is impressive as a building, but I learnt much more about the actual construction work and the area. The place name derives from the Old French 'versail' meaning a ploughed field and as Parisians began moving out of the crowded city of Paris with its noise and dirt so they sought the countryside as a place to build new homes. The area was pleasant - a guidebook from 1639 encouraged the first tourists to visit the village of Versailles. Now up to 7 million visitors a year pass through the ornate gates and wander and gaze at the magnificent palace. Builders and workers moved into the area, constructed their own homes (to a certain standard) and finally the King and the French Court moved to Versailles in 1682. Its style swept Europe and beyond - Washington in America took on some of its architecture.
But such grandeur cost money to Louis XIV and then his successors. By the 1780s France was bankrupt after many wars whilst Court expenditure (especially with Marie Antoinette) rose as she loved the splendour and beauty of the Palace. What happened after the French Revolution of 1789 provides an interesting history to Versailles present place in France. Rather than pull down the golden decorative excess it was decided that within the Second and Third Republics of France it should be used to garner international support. Hence its role as a site for famous Treaties such as that of Wilheim proclaimed as Kaiser (Emperor) of a unified Germany in the Hall of Mirrors in 1871 - an era of French/German antagonism and of course the Treaty in 1919 which ended WWI. The Nazis were not diminished in their love of the building and troops occupied Versailles from 1940-1944.
But then history and the use of the building as a museum came to the fore. In 1979 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and this book and its wonderful illustrations and photographs might encourage readers to make a visit themselves!
However, do not dismiss its continued political importance. In 1917 newly elected President Emmanuel Macron used it as a stage for his first chance to flex his muscles on the international stage. The Sun King 'Roi Soleil' would have been proud.

While I love all things French, this is just too much of a good thing. Too much information and much too bland. Sigh, I really love the palace itself. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Fantastic review of French history! I found it a great read, and especially for non-fiction was not dry. Definitely recommend and will be promoting in store!

An interesting look at the palace. There is a focus on Louis and others role to what the palace has become - but that would be like any other place. If one is interested in either the king or place this book would be a nice addition.

I learned so much from this book. A fascinating history of Versailles. Can't wait to visit in person someday but, for now, Colin Jones' Versailles is the next best thing.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

wonderful chronological history focusing on the significance of Versailles in events over the last four hundred years; not intended as comprehensive record of architectural specifics but rather a charming story of a place and the role it has played and continues to play in our world and its history

VERSAILLES provides an absorbing front-row look at one of the most magnificent buildings in the world, based upon new research that traces its creation and evolution into a political locus of power — and to today, a coveted world tourist destination. Well-written addictive reading for the Francophile and the Francophile-in-training. Author Colin Jones teaches at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Chicago and has penned many French history books, including the definitive Paris: A Biography of a City. 5/5

Pub Date 13 Nov 2018   

Thanks to Perseus Books, Basic Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

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