SKU: 41066516760

"Madame De" 1954 VILMORIN, Louise de (SOLD)

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"Madame De" 1954 VILMORIN, Louise de (SOLD)VILMORIN, Louise de [54] pp. Julian Messner, Inc. 1954 6 3 4" x 8 1 2" Drawings by Ian Ribbons VG VG A society woman in Paris sells her jewels, a gift from her husband, to pay debts. The buyer informs the husband, the husband buys them back and gives them to his mistress. The mistress sells them and they come back to the original woman via an admirer. THE story of the earrings of Madame de begins with this observation: "Elegance rather than beauty was

VILMORIN, Louise de

[54] pp.

Julian Messner, Inc.

1954

6 3/4" x 8 1/2"

Drawings by Ian Ribbons

VG/ VG

A society woman in Paris sells her jewels, a gift from her husband, to pay debts. The buyer informs the husband, the husband buys them back and gives them to his mistress. The mistress sells them and they come back to the original woman via an admirer.

THE story of the earrings of Madame de- begins with this observation: "Elegance rather than beauty was accorded the mark of merit in the circle of society to which Madame de- belonged." American readers who break into that charmed circle will no doubt agree that Madame de- was the most elegant of all women. Her manners were faultless, and her sensibilities exquisite. She deceived her husband like a lady, and he understood and forgave her like a true man of the world. Even her anonymity distinguished her: the author explains she wrote the book so quickly she had no time to give the heroine more than the dangling particle de.

Quickly written or not, Louise de Vilmorin's novelette is a perfect drawing room fable—a real jewel, as one of the characters might say in highest praise. And though the jewel is precious, it was cut with a rare economy of means. A complex story (recently made into a French movie) is told here in fifty-four pages of uncomplicated writing.

The theme of “Madame de” is deception: the web of falsehoods in which a fashionable woman can be caught, and drawn to tragedy. Madame de- cannot resist telling her rich and generous husband that her dresses cost half of what they actually did cost her. So to pay her debts she sells the heart-shaped diamond earrings which were a wedding present from Monsieur de- and pretends to lose them at a ball. The family jeweler who bought them believing Monsieur de- had some private money troubles suddenly finds himself in possession of jewels believed to have been stolen. He takes them to Monsieur de who buys them for the second time. Saddened by his wife's pretense, and the injury done his good name, he gives them to a mistress.

Before Moniseur de- is through he buys the earrings back three times, and they change hands on ten increasingly elaborate occasions Madame de- suffers at each exchange, until, abandoned by her ambassador-lover, she dies of sadness and pneumonia.

TRUE to Gallic tradition, both her husband and her lover are present for the deathbed scene, when her two hands gently open and disclose a diamond heart in each, “It was as though she had meant to give them away and she cared not to whom.

"'She is dead,' said Monsieur de-. 'Take this heart which she has given you, The other is her own. I will take charge of it.'

"Monsieur de- laid the other heart on the heart of his wife and then sent for the old nurse. Forthwith, the room was full of the rustle of skirts and the sound of wailing. The candles which had so often lit up her dinner parties now shone round her deathbed. Monsieur de- sent for his tailor, and, without telling him the reason, ordered some suits of mourning."

Madame de Vilmorin is at her best in this airy fantasy of manners. Her novel “Julietta” suggest that she is less gifted for bigger books; characterizations which seemed delightfully transparent in “Madame de” become opaque in a longer novel.

The least successful of these characters is the adolescent heroine, Julietta, who "spent her life in a world of her own invention." Escaping from her mother (a bourgeois lady) and her 54-year-old fiancé (a prince), Julietta takes refuge in the attic of Landrecourt (an intellectual). Here, she invents a world of her own so splendid that Landrecourt is dazzled and won—though his mistress-Rosie's exasperation with these goings-on deserves the reader's sympathy. In fact, the portrait of Rosie, in all her high-toned frivolity, is both the triumph and the symbol of Louise de Vilmorin's art.

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SKU: 41066516760

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Shanise
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Good quality book
Format: Board book
I wanted a book that can be a keep sake for my baby. This one is, it is well made and of good quality. I love the little story I read it to my newborn everyday. I love how calm the drawing and even the colors in this book are makes the images less overestimating.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2026
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Lady B
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
The Illustrations are Sweet, Storyline… Great!
Format: Board book
This book is sturdy and has a wonderful message. My grandchildren love it! If you are the one who presents 2 children in a classroom or other setting, most children will really love this book. The durability of the book is great. The illustrations are sweet. The review platform does not allow for me to enter an age span. It does not allow for me to enter multiple ages. It seems to force you to Select one age. I would say that having raised children of my own, I would start reading this book by one years old, but the average child I guess would best benefit with between ages like two and four. The book could be read up to people who are like six years old if they just love a sweet bedtime story.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2026
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Vickie D. Roderick
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
Ms V
Format: Board book
Awesome book for my nephew. The book is good for a new reader to learn words from.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2026
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Gin
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Great quality
Format: Board book
Sweet little book . Color is vibrant and quality is extremely nice.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2026
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stephanie
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Summer Workbooks - Keeps Kids Engaged and Ready
Format: Paperback
These workbooks have been an absolute lifesaver for keeping my kids on track over the summer! I was looking for a resource that would help them retain what they learned and prepare for the next school year without feeling like a chore, and these deliver perfectly. What I particularly love is how well **organized they are by days**. This structure eliminates any guesswork and makes it incredibly easy to assign manageable chunks of work each day, which helps to **keep my kids consistently on track**. There's no overwhelm, just steady progress. The content is engaging, and it genuinely seems to reinforce key concepts in a fun way. We've had **absolutely no complaints** from the kids, which is a huge win for any summer learning material! I highly recommend these workbooks for any parent looking for a structured and effective way to bridge the academic gap during the summer break.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2025

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