Mon cher Lucien: Lettere familiari a Luciano Bonaparte (in French and Italian)

Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio, Maria Pia Ludovisi Bruzzese
 
This exceedingly interesting book contains transcriptions (in French) of, and notes (in Italian) on, fascinating intimate letters (a good number of them published for the first time) from members of the Bonaparte family to Lucien, held in the Archivio Campello, itself part of the Fondazione Primoli in Rome. Some of the highlights include:
 
– letters (mostly dated 1801, though some come from 1806) from the young Elisa to her beloved brother Lucien who, in 1801, was French ambassador in Spain, containing interesting details regarding Paris during the early consulate;
– important letters to Lucien from Talleyrand and from Cardinal Fesch regarding Lucien's avoidance of the Italian coronation in May 1805 and the official break between the brothers for the most part over Lucien's 'unequal' second marriage with Alexandrine de Jouberthon (née de Bleschamp), regarding which Napoleon was kept in the dark;
– key letters from Murat to Lucien in 1814-1815.

The volume finishes with an appendix of letters by Lucien and a series of biographical sketches. This is an exciting work bringing a great deal of new and fascinating material for all those interested in the Bonaparte family.
 
P.H.

Contents:
Introduction
Elisa (ed. Maria Pia Ludovisi), p. 1
Louis (ed. Maria Pia Ludovisi), p. 33
Talleyrand (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 49
Cardinal Fesch (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 63
Cardinal Fesch to Elisa (ed. Maria Pia Ludovisi), p. 85
Pauline (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 91
Joseph (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 101
Joachim Murat (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 105
Lucien to Joachim Murat (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 135
Caroline (ed. Ludovica Cirrincione d'Amelio), p. 141
Appendix, p. 149
Biographies, p. 163
Bibliography
Index of names