Book #31: The Secret Life of Josephine

I remember picking up this book from a book box at work - it hadn't made the cut for review I think is the reason it was lying there, waiting for someone else to take it home... but I'm glad it was me. 


The Secret Life of Josephine, by Carolly Erickson is the story of the woman who became Napoleon's wife. I'll admit I knew nothing at all of Josephine (which, as an aside, isn't her 'real' name, but the name Napoleon gave to her). She led an incredibly interesting life, up until the time she met and married Napoleon, having been married before, with two children to her previous husband. And then an equally interesting, but incredibly hard, life as Napoleon's wife.


I'm absolutely fascinated by women in history, and this book, written as "historical entertainment" gave a great account of mostly fact, although quite a bit of fiction, surrounding this particular woman - lets just say, she was certainly a character, and very much her own woman!!


I've spent enough years at university, reading text books, theory books, non-fiction books, so reading for me nowadays is an escape into the unreal, the fictional, the make believe - and I love it! But at the same time, I want to find out more about people and events that shaped the past - and indeed the future - so this historical entertainment, a combination of both fact and fiction, yet set in a readable, enjoyable, and light hearted tone, was the perfect read to satisfy both my interest in the non-fiction and my love of the fiction!


I have another of Carolly Erickson's books on my shelf, The Tsarina's Daughter, the story of Grand Duchess Tatiana, the daughter of Tsar Nicholas ll and Tsarina Alexandra. It won't be long until this one's on my night table!


(This book also meets my Cover Love Challenge for April - cover colour = green!)