I am reading the most brilliant book. It is called Abundance: A Novel of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund. I have read a lot of novels and biographies about Marie Antoinetter and the ladies of the french court, but this is the first one I have read about her that really felt right to me, in that it captures her spirit in all its sweet romanticism and innocent ideals and really lets you see her life through her own eyes. 
It is sympathetic to her character, but shows her as one who really meant well but was so disconnected with the reality (indeed sheltered from it) that she never had a chance to understand.
I think Sophia Copola may have read this book too, or perhaps they both just drew a lot of inspiration from Antonia Fraser’s biography because there are some scenes in her that match the movie almost to the line. I feel it portrays both the conflict with Du Barry and her relationship with Axel Von Fersen in far greater depth and without the stereotypes and assumptions. Today I also discovered this! It is the japanese collector’s edition dvd and it comes in the most beautiful box and with the special gifts of a round blue jewelry box, a hand mirror, a slipper shaped brooch 
and a pink lace hankerchief! As well as a little 20 page booklet. It still has the english version, and although its region 2 I can always play it on my computer, and the Prince has a region-free dvd player. I wonder if it will be released like this in a full english edition, otherwise I might just have to buy this version and somehow navigate through the japanese menus! 
June 22nd, 2007 at 12:44 am
Thank you for the book review! My fairy god mother has been in the habit of getting me books lately, so perhaps I can coheres her into getting me this one. . .
Also, I refuse to Japan monopolize the entire world’s supply of lovely.
June 22nd, 2007 at 12:49 am
As of yet, there aren’t any plans to release anything like that in the english edition. The French edition is gorgeous as well, more modern than the Japanese version, but comes with a pink fan.
http://www.amazon.fr/Marie-Antoinette-Royal-inclus-livre-Goodies/dp/B000LSBM80
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:13 am
Wow, both of those special editions are pretty neat!
Can Mirai read Japanese at all? I miiight be able to help with the menus (if they’re not in kanji… hah), though it’s sometimes pretty easy to just figure out what’s what by trying each of the options and seeing what happens! And if you have a remote with language and subtitle buttons you can probably just select the first option the cursor settles on(which is almost always “play”) and change the language/subtitles with the remote….
June 22nd, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Thanks to Katrina for highlghting the lovely French Edition. This would make someeone special a very nice little extra birthday present in a few months time ;>D
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Menu’s on websites, DVD’s, books, etc, are all quite easy to read. You could get the Japanese edition without too much trouble I think!
July 3rd, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Abbie-chan: I hope you can get a copy of it, I’m sure you’d enjoy it thoroughly!
Katrina: Thank you for sharing the French edition with me! Now I must decide which to get ^^;
skwerlie: I’m sure we’d be able to fumble our way through the japanese, and I think I’d be fine with the French menus. If not I’ll drag you over to decipher it for us! :P
Nigel: The French edition is beautiful, but I think I am still fond of the japanese.. so hard to choose! I
Mirai: I’m glad to hear it ^^