Book description
A rich portrait of a compelling, complex woman who emerged from a sheltered rural childhood into the fraught, often deadly world of the French royal court and Parisian high society--and who would come to rule them both. Married off at sixteen to a military officer she barely knew, Marie de Vignerot was intended to lead an ordinary aristocratic life, produce heirs, and quietly assist the men in her family rise to prominence. Instead, she became a widow at eighteen and rose to become the indispensable and highly visible right-hand of the most powerful figure in French politics--the ruthless Cardinal Richelieu. Richelieu was her uncle and, as he lay dying, the Cardinal broke with tradition and entrusted her, above his male heirs, with his vast fortune. She would go on to shape her country's political, religious, and cultural life as the unconventional and independent Duchesse d'Aiguillon in ways that reverberated across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Marie de Vignerot was respected, beloved, and feared by churchmen, statesmen, financiers, writers, artists, and even future canonized saints. Many would owe their careers and eventual historical legacies to her patronage and her enterprising labor and vision. Pope Alexander VII and even the Sun King, Louis XIV, would defer to her. She was one of the most intelligent, accomplished, and occasionally ruthless French leaders of the seventeenth century. Yet, as all too often happens to great women in history, she was all but forgotten by modern times. La Duchesse is the first fully researched modern biography of Vignerot, putting her onto center stage in the histories of France and the globalizing Catholic Church where she belongs. In these pages, we see Marie navigate scandalous accusations and intrigue to creatively and tenaciously champion the people and causes she cared about. We also see her engage with fascinating personalities such as Queen Marie de Médici and influence French imperial ambitions and the Fronde Civil War. Filled with adventure and daring, art and politics, La Duchesse establishes Vignerot as a figure without whom France's storied Golden Age cannot be fully understood.
Morbid Angel
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Athens Fire
Audiobook magic at my fingertips! This app's comprehensive features, from statistics tracking to enhanced audio quality, enrich my reading. 📚✨ The app’s design is sleek and modern. ListenBook is my favorite audiobook player. I love the ability to import books from my computer. It’s so easy.
Venious
ListenBook's commitment to enhancing the audiobook experience is evident in its thoughtful features and design. Bookmarking on ListenBook makes it easy to pick up where I left off – no more searching for my spot!
MysticMingle
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Bourbon Mirage
Audiobook enjoyment redefined – this app's design focuses on the essentials. Looping playback is my secret weapon for language learning. It's revolutionized my approach. The app is perfect for long commutes. It keeps me entertained for hours.
Frosty Squid
ListenBook has become my constant companion, filling my days with captivating narratives. I'm amazed at how this app has made reading a seamless part of my life. Download options are plenty – I can get my audiobooks from various sources hassle-free. The ability to download audiobooks directly is fantastic. ListenBook is very convenient. I've listened to hundreds of audiobooks, and this one stands out for its professional quality. The narrator struck the ideal balance between dramatic interpretation and letting the text speak for itself. The audio engineering was superb with consistent volume levels and crystal-clear recording.
Red Pepper
This app has completely transformed my commute – I look forward to it now! ListenBook has made my audiobook journey effortless, turning every moment into an escape.
Scrapper
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Granola Dove
I'm absolutely in love with this app! It's like a library of stories in my pocket. 🎉 This app has turned my errands into exciting quests – I can conquer the grocery store while enjoying a book! 🛒📖 Finally, an app that lets me organize my audiobooks effortlessly. The library organization and book groups feature make navigation a breeze. The interface is sleek and modern. It’s a joy to use. ListenBook is the ultimate audiobook player. The app supports all formats, and the import process is seamless. I love the playback history feature—it’s so easy to revisit my favorite parts. Highly recommend this app!
Grave Digger
The chapters feature on ListenBook enhances my audiobook exploration – it's like flipping through pages. 📱 Carrying my favorite stories with me wherever I go – this app is like a portable library in my pocket. 📚👜 The statistics tracking is a nice touch. ListenBook helps me keep track of my audiobook habits. ListenBook is the best audiobook player I’ve found. The interface is clean and easy to use.
Scratch Man
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Essex
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Fist Wizard
I'm grateful for this app's ability to fit seamlessly into my lifestyle, making learning a part of my day. ListenBook Pro's tone adjustment feature is a unique touch that adds personalization to my audiobook journey.
Blue Despair
Seamless audiobook integration – this app's design is a true delight. Great for listening to a variety of content. Highly recommend!
Lucifurious
With ListenBook Pro, I can customize the tone of the sound to match my preferences – it's a fantastic touch. The narrators on this app are truly talented – they bring characters to life. 🏝️🎧 Soaking up the sun while indulging in beach reads – this app is my ultimate relaxation companion. 🏖️📚
Chapstick
ListenBook's comprehensive support for a wide range of audio formats sets it apart from other audiobook apps. I'm amazed at how this app seamlessly integrates into my life, enhancing every moment with stories. I'm amazed at how this app has made my daily activities more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. As someone who listens to audiobooks daily, I can confidently say ListenBook is the best player out there. The sleep timer and auto-rewind features are lifesavers, and the sound quality is exceptional. Thank you for such a great app!
Ember Master
ListenBook's tone adjustment feature in the Pro version is a creative tool that adds a fun twist to my audiobook journey. The statistics tracking feature is very useful. ListenBook helps me keep track of my listening time.
Snow Hound
Audiobook excellence – this app's design enhances my reading experience. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a game-changer for immersive listening in any environment.
Whipsaw
ListenBook's variety of ways to download audio makes it incredibly convenient. I'm amazed by how this app effortlessly turns my daily routines into enjoyable learning sessions. The ability to download audiobooks directly is fantastic. ListenBook is very convenient.
Copilot
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Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience