Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1831-1835

"Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan)" by Dorothée Dino, recounts the life of a duchess during the whirlwind of European change between 1831 and 1835, especially her connection to Prince de Talleyrand. From the very beginning, the story drops you right into a politically unstable Paris where the duchess is trying to find her footing amidst the chaos. She thinks back on calmer times in places like Madeira and Valençay, which highlights her craving of stability while surrounded by electoral drama and public unrest. All the while, the duchess gives the inside scoop on major political events of the time, such as the happenings in Belgium, revealing the intricacies of society, her relationships, and the bigger historical picture.