The Courtesans: The Demi-Monde in the 19th Century France

This book is a good portrait en bref of a particular group of women who lived to the point of prosperity off of their ability to give pleasure to mostly wealthy,influential, and sometimes literary men. They were primarily active between the Napoleonic and Franco-Prussian wars (being blamed by such as Maxime du Camp for France's defeat in 1870)and lived ostentatious lives filled with trips to the opera, spas, casinos and even the palaces of their imperial lovers. As the book's introduction states, these women differed from prostitutes in that they chose their lovers and operated independently. Some, such as "La Paiva" and Esther Guimond, were usurious, traitourous, and dishonest. Others, such as Marie Duplessis ("La Dame aux Camillias), "La Presidente," and "Mogador," were basically benevolent and even capable of loving some of their patrons/clients. Many died sick and poor, deserted or forgotten by their former clients, lovers, friends, and Parisian society (i.e. the Englishwoman Cora Pearl). Alice Ozy died in her seventies, wealthy due to investments basically paid for by her lovers. Yet she herself faced a lonely old age. These women mostly came from humble backgrounds, but were often also actresses and authors, and perhaps an unstated point to this readable book is that had they lived a more emancipated century later, they might have achieved success in fields other than the boudoir.

'The Courtesans' is a biography written in the style of literary fiction. Artists, dancers, and witty political commentators, these Parisian courtesans were real people not 'sluts'. Read 'The Courtesans' to appreciate the lives of women who faced hardship, but treasured, above all, beauty.