Frederick the Great, discussion post 6

[cahn]

...I think we need another one (seriously, you guys, this is THE BEST) and I'd better make it now before I disappear into the wilds of music performance.

(also, as of this week there are two Frederician fics in the yuletide archive and eeeeeeeeeee)
(huh, only one of them is actually tagged with Frederick the Great even though two with Maria Theresia and Wilhelmine, eeeeeee this is awesome I CAN'T WAIT)

Frederick the Great masterpost

Comments

Re: Fredersdorf letters

[mildred_of_midgard]

It turned out to be a very easy read, and my brain cooperated enough today that I managed to read it. I will do a write-up as time and health permit. Initial reactions are twofold:

ILUUUUU Émilie!!!! <33333 *massive hugs* You're the literal best!

Woooow, the author loves Voltaire and haaaates Fritz. It's not that I don't understand hating on Fritz: his death toll is high and the abusiveness in his personal life is undeniable. But it's such a one-sided picture: everything about Fritz's personality except the militarism is a lie he coldly fabricated as a trap for Voltaire, and Voltaire is 100% sympathetic, except when he's bothering Émilie, when he's acknowledged by the author to be mildly annoying.

I just...complexity, people. Fritz had more than one side to his personality, and so did Voltaire.

Emilie du Chatelet

[cahn]

I actually downloaded the kindle sample and thought she was fascinating. Does the book go into her physics at all?

I was thinking of reading this one while traveling:
https://www.amazon.com/Emilie-Du-Chatelet-Daring-Enlightenment/dp/0143112686/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=emilie+du+chatelet&qid=1576998193&sprefix=emilie+du+chat&sr=8-1

Re: Emilie du Chatelet

[mildred_of_midgard]

Only a little bit. Not at a technical level at all, but given that it's aimed at an audience that knows nothing about physics, you get at least some sense of what kinds of things she was working on.

I highly encourage reading about her! She's my fave now. <3