Zoé Oldenbourg (Russian: Зоя Сергеевна Ольденбург, romanized: Zoya Sergeyevna Oldenburg; 31 March 1916[1] – 8 November 2002)[2] was a Russian-born French popular historian and novelist who specialized in medieval French history, in particular the Crusades and Cathars.
She was born in Petrograd, Russia into a family of scholars and historians. Her father Sergei was a journalist and historian, her mother Ada Starynkevich was a mathematician, and her grandfather Sergei was the permanent secretary of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg.[3] Her early childhood was spent among the privations of the Russian revolutionary period and the first years of communism. Her father fled the country and established himself as a journalist in Paris.
With her family, she emigrated to Paris in 1925 at the age of nine and graduated from the Lycée Molière in 1934 with her Baccalauréat diploma. She went on to study at the Sorbonne and then she studied painting at the Académie Ranson. In 1938 she spent a year in England[4] and studied theology. During World War II she supported herself by hand-painting scarves.
She was encouraged by her father to write and she completed her first work, a novel, Argile et cendres in 1946. Although she wrote her first works in Russian, as an adult she wrote almost exclusively in French.[5]
She married Heinric Idalovici in 1948[6] and had two children, Olaf and Marie-Agathe.[7]
Workedit
She combined a high level of scholarship with a deep feeling for the Middle Ages in her historical novels. Her first novel, The World is Not Enough, offered a panoramic view of the twelfth century. Her second, The Cornerstone, was a Book-of-the-Month Club selection in America. Other works include The Awakened, The Chains of Love, Massacre at Montsegur, Destiny of Fire, Cities of the Flesh, and Catherine the Great, a Literary Guild selection. In The Crusades, Zoe Oldenbourg returned to writing about the Middle Ages.[8]
Awardsedit
She won the Prix Femina for her 1953 novel La Pierre angulaire.
Worksedit
Fictionedit
Argile et cendres (1946), published in English as The World is Not Enough (translated by Willard A. Trask).
La Pierre angulaire (1953), published in English as The Corner-stone (translated by Edward Hyams).
Réveillés de la vie (1956), published in English as The Awakened (translated by Edward Hyams).
Les Irréductibles (1958), published in English as The Chains of Love (translated by Michael Bullock).
Les Brûlés (1960), published in English as Destiny of Fire (translated by Peter Green).
Les Cités charnelles, ou L'Histoire de Roger de Montbrun (1961), published in English as Cities of the Flesh, or The Story of Roger de Montbrun (translated by Anne Carter).
Catherine de Russie (1966), published in English as Catherine the Great (translated by Anne Carter).
La Joie des pauvres (1970), published in English as The Heirs of the Kingdom (translated by Anne Carter).
La Joie-souffrance (1980).
Le Procès du rêve (1982).
Les Amours égarées (1987).
Déguisements (1989), short stories.
Non-fictionedit
Le Bûcher de Montségur, 16 mars 1244 (1959), published in English as Massacre at Montségur: A History of the Albigensian Crusade (translated by Peter Green).
Les Croisades (1965), published in English as The Crusades (translated by Anne Carter).
Saint Bernard (1970), includes a selection of texts on Saint Bernard by Abélard, Pierre le Vénérable, Geoffroi de Clairvaux, Bérenger de Poitiers and Bossuet.
L'Épopée des cathédrales (1972).
Que vous a donc fait Israël ? (1974).
Visages d'un autoportrait (1977), autobiography.
Que nous est Hécube ?, ou Un plaidoyer pour l'humain (1984).
Playsedit
L'Évêque et la vieille dame, ou La Belle-mère de Peytavi Borsier, pièce en dix tableaux et un prologue (1983).
Aliénor, pièce en quatre tableaux (1992).
Referencesedit
^Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century: O to Z, Volume 3 (F. Ungar, 1971: ISBN0-8044-3094-2), p. 11.
^Histoires littéraires: Revue trimestrielle consacrée à la littérature française des XIXème et XXème siècles 4/13-14 (2003): 124.
^Christiane P. Makward and Madeleine Cottenet-Hage, Dictionnaire littéraire des femmes de langue française (KARTHALA Editions, 1996: ISBN2-86537-676-1), p. 448.
^European Biographical Directory, vol. 2 (Editions Database, 1991), p. 1627.
^Oldenbourg, Zoé (1966). The Crusades. New York, N.Y: Random House. pp. the book jacket.
Further readingedit
Steinberg, Theodore L., "The Use and Abuse of Medieval History: Four Contemporary Novelists and the First Crusade", Studies in Medievalism, II.1 (Fall 1982), pp. 77–93.
Wilson, Katharina M., (editor), An Encyclopedia of continental women writers, New York : Garland Pub., 1991. ISBN0-8240-8547-7. Cf. entry for Zoé Oldenbourg, Volume 1, pp.935–937.
External linksedit
Photograph of Zoé Oldenbourg at Babelio
1953 Press photograph of Zoé Oldenbourg
January 01, 1970
zoé, oldenbourg, this, name, that, follows, eastern, slavic, naming, customs, patronymic, sergeievna, family, name, oldenbourg, russian, Зоя, Сергеевна, Ольденбург, romanized, zoya, sergeyevna, oldenburg, march, 1916, november, 2002, russian, born, french, pop. In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs the patronymic is Sergeievna and the family name is Oldenbourg Zoe Oldenbourg Russian Zoya Sergeevna Oldenburg romanized Zoya Sergeyevna Oldenburg 31 March 1916 1 8 November 2002 2 was a Russian born French popular historian and novelist who specialized in medieval French history in particular the Crusades and Cathars Zoe OldenbourgBorn 1916 03 31 31 March 1916Petrograd RussiaDied8 November 2002 2002 11 08 aged 86 OccupationWriter historianNationalityFrenchGenreMiddle Ages History of France Crusades Cathars Contents 1 Life 2 Work 3 Awards 4 Works 4 1 Fiction 4 2 Non fiction 4 3 Plays 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksLife editShe was born in Petrograd Russia into a family of scholars and historians Her father Sergei was a journalist and historian her mother Ada Starynkevich was a mathematician and her grandfather Sergei was the permanent secretary of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg 3 Her early childhood was spent among the privations of the Russian revolutionary period and the first years of communism Her father fled the country and established himself as a journalist in Paris With her family she emigrated to Paris in 1925 at the age of nine and graduated from the Lycee Moliere in 1934 with her Baccalaureat diploma She went on to study at the Sorbonne and then she studied painting at the Academie Ranson In 1938 she spent a year in England 4 and studied theology During World War II she supported herself by hand painting scarves She was encouraged by her father to write and she completed her first work a novel Argile et cendres in 1946 Although she wrote her first works in Russian as an adult she wrote almost exclusively in French 5 She married Heinric Idalovici in 1948 6 and had two children Olaf and Marie Agathe 7 Work editShe combined a high level of scholarship with a deep feeling for the Middle Ages in her historical novels Her first novel The World is Not Enough offered a panoramic view of the twelfth century Her second The Cornerstone was a Book of the Month Club selection in America Other works include The Awakened The Chains of Love Massacre at Montsegur Destiny of Fire Cities of the Flesh and Catherine the Great a Literary Guild selection In The Crusades Zoe Oldenbourg returned to writing about the Middle Ages 8 Awards editShe won the Prix Femina for her 1953 novel La Pierre angulaire Works editFiction edit Argile et cendres 1946 published in English as The World is Not Enough translated by Willard A Trask La Pierre angulaire 1953 published in English as The Corner stone translated by Edward Hyams Reveilles de la vie 1956 published in English as The Awakened translated by Edward Hyams Les Irreductibles 1958 published in English as The Chains of Love translated by Michael Bullock Les Brules 1960 published in English as Destiny of Fire translated by Peter Green Les Cites charnelles ou L Histoire de Roger de Montbrun 1961 published in English as Cities of the Flesh or The Story of Roger de Montbrun translated by Anne Carter Catherine de Russie 1966 published in English as Catherine the Great translated by Anne Carter La Joie des pauvres 1970 published in English as The Heirs of the Kingdom translated by Anne Carter La Joie souffrance 1980 Le Proces du reve 1982 Les Amours egarees 1987 Deguisements 1989 short stories Non fiction edit Le Bucher de Montsegur 16 mars 1244 1959 published in English as Massacre at Montsegur A History of the Albigensian Crusade translated by Peter Green Les Croisades 1965 published in English as The Crusades translated by Anne Carter Saint Bernard 1970 includes a selection of texts on Saint Bernard by Abelard Pierre le Venerable Geoffroi de Clairvaux Berenger de Poitiers and Bossuet L Epopee des cathedrales 1972 Que vous a donc fait Israel 1974 Visages d un autoportrait 1977 autobiography Que nous est Hecube ou Un plaidoyer pour l humain 1984 Plays edit L Eveque et la vieille dame ou La Belle mere de Peytavi Borsier piece en dix tableaux et un prologue 1983 Alienor piece en quatre tableaux 1992 References edit Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century O to Z Volume 3 F Ungar 1971 ISBN 0 8044 3094 2 p 11 Histoires litteraires Revue trimestrielle consacree a la litterature francaise des XIXeme et XXeme siecles 4 13 14 2003 124 Christiane P Makward and Madeleine Cottenet Hage Dictionnaire litteraire des femmes de langue francaise KARTHALA Editions 1996 ISBN 2 86537 676 1 p 448 Dictionnaire litteraire October 2010 Lucille Frackman Becker Twentieth Century French Women Novelists Twayne Publishers 1989 ISBN 0 8057 8251 6 p 55 Cf Wilson p 936 European Biographical Directory vol 2 Editions Database 1991 p 1627 Oldenbourg Zoe 1966 The Crusades New York N Y Random House pp the book jacket Further reading editSteinberg Theodore L The Use and Abuse of Medieval History Four Contemporary Novelists and the First Crusade Studies in Medievalism II 1 Fall 1982 pp 77 93 Wilson Katharina M editor An Encyclopedia of continental women writers New York Garland Pub 1991 ISBN 0 8240 8547 7 Cf entry for Zoe Oldenbourg Volume 1 pp 935 937 External links editPhotograph of Zoe Oldenbourg at Babelio 1953 Press photograph of Zoe Oldenbourg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zoe Oldenbourg amp oldid 1217699569, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
