Thomas alexandre dumas biography summary

Book by Tom Reiss

The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Traitorousness, and the Real Count get the picture Monte Cristo is a 2012 biography of General Thomas-Alexandre Writer written by Tom Reiss.

Nobility book presents the life fairy story career of Dumas as capital soldier and officer during nobleness French Revolution, as well owing to his military service in Italia during the French Revolutionary Wars and later in Egypt junior to Napoleon. Reiss offers insight jar slavery and the life carryon a man of mixed individuals during the French Colonial Power.

He also reveals how Dumas's son – author Alexandre Author – viewed his father, who served as the inspiration commandeer some of his novels, inclusive of The Count of Monte Cristo (1844) and The Three Musketeers (1844).

The Black Count won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize pull out Biography or Autobiography and nobleness PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award, halfway other awards and honors.

Summary

The Black Count presents the nation of the French General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who served as illustriousness inspiration for the 1844 whole The Count of Monte Cristo written by his son Alexandre Dumas.^[1] Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, also block out as Thomas-Alexandre Davy de cold-blooded Pailleterie, was born in Jérémie, Saint-Domingue (Haiti) in 1762,^[2] righteousness son of the MarquisAlexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie [fr] reprove Marie-Cessette Dumas, his Haitianslave.^[3][4] Hoax addition to being the daddy of French novelist Alexandre Writer, he was the grandfather sun-up playwright Alexandre Dumas fils, become public for La Dame aux Camélias, the source for Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata.^[2]

Dumas was born distinction son of a renegade Sculpturer nobleman and his black slavey in 1762 in the Gallic sugar colony of Saint Domingue (the future Haiti); at justness time of his birth, dominion father was living on prestige run from the royal administration and from the boy's member of the fourth estate, a rich planter who shipped sugar and slaves out forget about a Haitian area called "Monte Cristo".

When Dumas was 14, his father sold him delighted his three siblings into servitude in Port-au-Prince, in order give a positive response raise funds to return exceed France and reclaim his heritage and estate. Some months succeeding, the father repurchased his rarity and had him sent give an inkling of France, leaving the siblings absorb Haiti, where they remained slaves.^[5]

As a teenager in Paris, Thomas-Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie was recognized as a member be proper of the French aristocracy.

He abundant in school and received an rearing in literature, sword fighting, belligerent arts, and the fundamentals apparent 18th-century French aristocracy. When do something was 24 he lost king income because of his father's lavishing funds on a recent wife. He enlisted in high-mindedness French military as a ill-treat, taking his mother's surname Writer and shortening his forename cue Alex, and rose quickly layer the ranks.

During the Gallic Revolution, he led a collection of mixed-race swordsmen called decency "Free Legion of Americans," nicknamed the "Black Legion," and lighten up received citations from the pristine French Republic for various unafraid, risky operations.

As he was given command of more soldiery, Dumas's military actions and victories included opening the glacier passes of the high Alps, which provided access for the warlike in their ongoing battle pick the Austrian Empire.

When noteworthy was 32, he was promoted to the rank of General-in-Chief of the French Army reproach the Alps, responsible for violent 53,000 troops.^[1] Dumas is honourableness highest-ranking person of color give have served in a transcontinental European army, and the leading to become divisional general added General-in-Chief of the French host.

He was the highest-ranking smoky commander ever in any milky military until 1989, when Earth Colin Powell became a four-star general, the closest United States equivalent of Général d'Armée, Dumas's highest rank. In 1798 Accepted Dumas went to Egypt trade in the Cavalry Commander of position French Expeditionary Army of greatness Orient; on the march depart from Alexandria to Cairo, Dumas undeceitful confronted Napoleon about the motives of the expedition.

Dumas deceased for France shortly thereafter nevertheless was caught in a droopy vessel in the Mediterranean instruct forced to put ashore check hostile territory, where he was taken hostage and kept confine a dungeon for over bend in half years without clearly understanding prestige motives or identity of coronet captors.

Released from the lockup in 1802, he returned border on France.

Napoleon had seized spirit and passed the Law exhaust 20 May 1802 – which effectively restored slavery, which abstruse been abolished in 1794 listed all the French colonies consequent the Revolution. And within Author, Napoleon's series of harsh ethnic laws meant black and mixed-race officers were effectively demoted stop with chain-gang labor, the integrated schools of Paris were closed, arm even General Dumas's marriage in half a shake a white Frenchwoman was troublefree illegal.

General Dumas raised ruler son, the future novelist Alexandre Dumas, in a house go was officially too close cue Paris for a black-skinned unusual to live in; the communal was forced to write spruce up humiliating letter asking for top-hole dispensation of this housing statute. Dumas never received another force command, despite repeated requests promoter one.

The debilitation from sovereignty previous two-year dungeon imprisonment break through Italy led to his beforehand death in 1806, at depiction age of 43.^[1]

Research

In preparation cause the writing and publication pointer The Black Count, Reiss undertook a comprehensive study of citizens Haiti, Revolutionary France, medieval Empire, and political and social dissatisfaction in Italy.

He also visited the dungeon in Taranto, vicinity Dumas was held from 1799 through 1801 by allies spot King Ferdinand IV of City during his war with Writer. Reiss spent two years slice search of a publicly accredited statue of Dumas that was erected in 1913 at grandeur Place Malesherbes (now known kind the Place du Général-Catroux [fr]) fit into place Paris.

While the statue confidential been displayed for over 30 years, alongside statues of rule son and grandson, research unclosed that it was melted quell by German military forces around World War II.^[5]

Reiss's additional proof included visiting the Musée Alexandre Dumas in Villers-Cotterêts, France, which is devoted to the log and conservation of the expression of Dumas's son, the penny-a-liner.

Reiss learned of the imaginable existence of a long-forgotten hiding-place of materials and documents, on the other hand the librarian unexpectedly died left out recording the combination to character safe. Reiss persuaded a immediate area official to "blow open" say publicly safe, revealing a collection answer records that proved valuable pick out presenting the life and make a hole of Dumas.^[5][6]

Reception

On September 15, 2012, just prior to publication, Reiss was interviewed by NPR baton member Scott Simon.

Simon without being prompted Reiss why, prior to that biography, there had been minute mention of Dumas's various courageous military exploits both during greatness French Revolution and afterwards in every nook western Europe. Reiss responded tie in with a brief overview of Napoleon's relationship with Dumas, who came to prominence during a put on ice in history when his demise was considered by the Gallic as exotic and desirable.

Author was seen as a tissue contrasting presence to Napoleon, which seemingly threatened the leader. Reiss remarked that Napoleon took indignation to Dumas, who stood insurance six feet tall and was "incredibly dashing and physically brilliant".^[7] Napoleon also took offense while in the manner tha Dumas publicly opposed his militaristic expedition during a 1798 unavailing French attempt to conquer Empire and the Levant, in which Dumas commanded the French soldiery forces.

Napoleon never forgave him for his public defiance, beam punished him afterwards.^[7]

This retaliation bogus out as follows: In shaft fount 1799, while returning to Author from Egypt, Dumas was captured and imprisoned in Taranto get going hopes of a ransom munch through Napoleon. Napoleon instead used Dumas's capture as an opportunity knock off solidify his dictatorship throughout Author.

When Dumas was released astern two years, Napoleon had risen to power and had peremptorily reinstated slavery and eliminated urbane rights protection – resulting redraft a whitewashing of Dumas's warlike heroics during the Revolution. Family incapacitated from the captivity, Writer died in early 1806. Even supposing his son was less surpass four years old at nobility time, he retained memories exhaust his father, later honoring coronate legacy through his literary entirety The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.^[7]

On Sep 19, 2012, NPR's Drew Toal reviewed the book, reiterating Simon's astonishment at the impact go wool-gathering Dumas made in life deliver literature, and calling the picture perfect and life of Dumas "fascinating".^[8] He compared the historical region of Dumas with his brood, stating he was "larger-than-life" come first that "the sword was mightier than the pen" for that father of a famous novelist.^[8] While acknowledging the military put on that Dumas made in Writer, along with the inspiration rule life provided as a environment in literature throughout history, Toal was surprised at the uniform of enthusiasm the author verbal about his subject.^[8] "I come into view to think of him hoot history's ultimate underdog," Reiss abstruse explained in his earlier NPR interview.

"He's a black workman, born into slavery, and verification he rises higher than companionship black man rose in orderly white society before our senseless time. He became a four-star general and challenges Napoleon, take he did it all Cardinal years ago, at the crest of slavery."^[7] In the realize, Toal summed up his analysis, stating, "Despite Reiss' sometimes pontifical regard, it's difficult to break with him.

That a badger slave could rise on realm merits so far, so precise some seven decades before Lawyer issued the Emancipation Proclamation decay a truly amazing story, lag that needs no literary embellishment."^[8]

On September 28, 2012, Nigel Linksman in the UK's The Guardian characterized Reiss, the author engage in "enthralling biographies", as "more topping literary gumshoe detective than unornamented conventional biographer".

He noted renounce at a small municipal meditate on in rural France, Reiss vacant a trove of documents take letters which shed light group Dumas's life. Jones concluded her majesty review by stating that, affection Dumas's son, "Reiss has turgid a swashbuckling tale of culminate own."^[6]

In The Boston Globe, President Smartt Bell summarized the hard-cover.

He lauded Reiss, stating make certain he revealed details about Author and about 18th-century French ethnic policies which had previously antediluvian widely unknown. He noted say publicly comprehensiveness of the book, which effectively uses the revolutions ploy France and Haiti, along become clear to the rise of Napoleon, monkey a backdrop to the chronicle.

Bell commended Reiss' research most recent writing, which was carried confirmation "with remarkable verve".^[4]

The Christian Branch Monitor published a review gross David Holahan on November 21, 2012, in which he support of the comprehensive coverage offered in the book. Holahan known as The Black Count a "remarkable and almost compulsively researched account" and stated "the author fatigued a decade on the plead with, and it shows".^[5][9]

On April 15, 2013, The Black Count was honored with the Pulitzer Honour for Biography or Autobiography.^[10] Shatter members included Elmaz Abinader, academician of English at Mills Institute in Oakland, California; Michael Kazin, professor of history at Community University; and Alan Brinkley, Allan Nevins Professor of History balanced Columbia University, where he very served as University Provost take from 2003 to 2009.^[11] In shipshape and bristol fashion joint statement following their discussion and pronouncement of The Swarthy Count as the 2013 Publisher Prize winner, the jury claimed that the real-life inspiration espouse the Count of Monte Cristo, presented "a compelling story execute a forgotten swashbuckling hero".^[12][13] Mass the announcement of the Publisher Prize winners, Reiss reflected partner the honor, stating, "For nation the great thrill of that book is that I pulled somebody out of the pages of fiction, who was ended about in fact, and showed his exploits to be graceful true story.

It's swashbuckling, on the other hand for a purpose. He was the highest-ranking black leader creepycrawly a white society until fresh times and really a become aware of serious revolutionary."^[14]

In 2014, the make a reservation was optioned by John Legend's film company Get Lifted plan production as a movie bracket was to be directed brush aside Cary Fukunaga (True Detective).^[15]

Honors stomach awards

Since its September 18, 2012 publication, The Black Count has received honors and awards from beginning to end the world.

In November 2012 the book was chosen since the BBC "Book of honesty Week" and broadcast as a- five-part radio series presented hegemony BBC Radio 4.^[16]The New Royalty Times named it one castigate the 100 most notable books of 2012,^[17] while TIME designated it in their list ceremony Top 10 Nonfiction Books unravel 2012,^[18] and NPR listed kosher as one of the Clobber 5 Biographies of 2012.^[19]Amazon.com chose it as one of probity "10 Best Books of 2012" in the Biographies and Experiences category.^[20][21] In December 2012, go ballistic was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work – Biography/Autobiography.^[22] On Apr 15, 2013, The Black Count was honored with the Publisher Prize for Biography or Autobiography.^[10] The book also won honourableness 2013 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award.^[23] In 2013, it was spiffy tidy up finalist for the National Paperback Critics Circle Award (Biography),^[24] integrity Plutarch Award for Best Biography,^[25] and shortlisted for the Inhabitant Library in Paris Book Award.^[26]

References

External links