Return to: Home Page / Angelique Home Page / Anne Golon / Petition 2014
Draft Petition
Ebauche de Pétition
Merci à vous de vous occuper de la page Fb. J'ai aussi contacté directement SANDERS qui vit en ANGLETERRE pour voir si il y avait moyen d'entrer en contact avec ANNA LUDLOW cette fan anglaise qui a un tres beau site sur Angélique. Il semblerait d'après ce que m'a dit SANDERS quelle fasse partie sur Fb d'un group fermé de fans d'Anne GOLON et a priori son site n'offre pas la possibilité de la contacter. Autrement, j'ai laissé un message dédiée à ANNE GOLON est géré par STEPHANIE qui a aussi un site sur Juliette BENZONI.
Je pense que je vair créer une adresse mail specifique pour les personnes qui souhaitent se joindre à nous puissent m'envoyer leurs coordonnées sans avoir à passer par le forum. Dès que c'est fait, je vous la communique.
Draft Petition
Thank you for taking care of the Fb page. I also contacted SANDERS directly who lives in ENGLAND to see if there was a way to get in touch with ANNA LUDLOW an English fan who has a very nice site on Angélique. It would seem from what SANDERS told me she is part of a closed Fb group of fans of Anne GOLON and her site does not offer the possibility of contacting her. I also left a message dedicated to ANNE GOLON managed by STEPHANIE who also has a site on Juliette BENZONI.
I think I will create a specific email address for people who want to join us can send me their contact details without having to go through the forum. As soon as it's done, I'll let you know.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************
Before I go on you may wish to know where this is going and/or what it is all about. On the page dedicated to Book 14 - 'Angélique et le Royaume de France' I make reasoned arguments, sometimes, granted, a little mischievously but never nastily or hurtfully. It's just how I could see the series progressing given the hints Anne Golon sometimes gave us or based on historical facts (such as Louis conferring the title of Count of Toulouse on his illegitimate son whom he legitimises by this action) or as a product of my own imagination. If it were not for my interest in all things mystical and mysterious and the hint of 'Prague' in one of the untranslated books anyone reading my site might not have had the benefit of my research into the Court of Rudolf II 1552 - 1612 or the mysterious Voynich manuscripts. John Dee 1527-1608 (a favourite of Elizabeth I of England 1533-1603) spent much time at Rudolf's court and may well have mingled with Joffrey who I'm convinced might have been a young scholar there rubbing shoulders with the great men of science, art and literature in all its forms! On this page there is also another reference to my site with the author expressing surprise at the knowledge of the English fan base (and probably that there was a fan base at all!)
The following is a reprise of e-mails shared with iSA18 which is self-explanatory and I have tidied up the grammar a little where it tends to get a bit garbled, otherwise I have left it verbatim and secured identities by not exposing full e-mail addresses. (Slight tweaks are identified by being bracketed)
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
A Continuation of English/French 'entente cordiale'
On 24th January 2014 16:59, abigailberne@*** wrote:
Dear Mrs LUDLOW,
Congratulations for your excellent website dedicated to ANGELICA; I am contacting you as member of the French website "Le forum de la Marquise des Anges" dedicated to discussions between [fans] of ANNE GOLON'S character Angelica. I think you know this site, because I have seen one of our posts displayed on your page dedicated to book 14. I am iSA18 whom you displayed the post.
So [the reason for writing to] you today [is] to [inform] you that the "Forum de la Marquise des Anges" has written a letter to ANNE GOLON requesting [her to publish the final instalment before continuing with the Intégrale]. The main idea of this letter is to show ANNE GOLON that a large majority of her readers are waiting impatiently [the publication] of this last book as announced [many] years ago. We would like a lot of ANGELICA's readers who are waiting for this last book to join our request and sign our letter. In doing so they will show the author how they love her work and character. So I [wondered if maybe you could maybe you would consider displaying] our letter on your website [to] advise people interested so that they can sign the letter sending me their name and address to the following email : abigailberne@****. I will add their name to the letter before sending it.
Excuse me for my bad English I hope I am understandable. I attach the letter in French and translated in English (probably bad translation with quick translation web site)
Best regards, Pascaline alias isa1
27th January 2014, J Anna Ludlow wrote :
Hello Pascaline
Thank you for your communication and for your kind compliment with regard to my web-site section dedicated to Anne Golon and her Angélique.
I regret, however, that as an individual and sometime friend of Anne Golon and her daughter Nadine, I cannot, in all conscience place any pressure on this woman of 92, however beautifully and romantically worded your petition. I understand your frustrations and the English reading world (particularly those who do not have knowledge of any other languages) has its own frustrations as they cannot read beyond 'Complot des Ombres'.
I am also of the opinion that if Anne Golon wishes to work on her 'Intégrale' in preference to Book 14, then there are reasons for her decision and these must be respected.
Please accept that I cannot promote your petition on my website which could jeopardise my relationship with the Golons, which is too precious for me to lose. I have earned and treasure their trust.
My very best wishes to you and thank you again for your compliments on my website.
J Anna Ludlow
(I was not expecting any further correspondence after my response - but people can surprise ya!)
On 30th January 2014, abigailberne@*** wrote:
Hello Mrs LUDLOW,
Thank you for your answer. I understand and respect your position. I did not know that English readers could not have the last two books in English. And so I understand your frustration. Did you have the new books of the Intégrale in English?
Your website is very detailed about Angélica and her author. I do not know all the websites dedicated to this character but I think yours is one of the most detailed.
Best regards,
Isa18/Pascaline
30th January 2014, J Anna Ludlow wrote:
Hello Pascaline
I thank you for accepting my decision with such grace. The Angélique series of books in English ends with 'Ghosts' which is, as I mentioned before 'Complot des Ombres', there are no translations into English of Québec, Route de l'Espoir or Victoire. There are no translations of the Intégrale into English.
I have been a fan of these books for many years and have been searching for translations since 1985 which is when I discovered that Québec existed, I also searched for the last of the Catherine series, Dame de Montsalvy, which has not been translated, nor the final book of Les Rois Maudits - Quand le roi perd ..... (sorry I forget) - so as you can see, the English reading public has suffered quite extensively with literary series being cut short.
I am lucky, I speak and read Polish and can read French, so I have reached the conclusions of Victoire (and Catherine and Les Rois Maudits) with the frustration of knowing that Angélique is in the New World with Cantor, Honorine and the twins and Joffrey and Florimond are in France. One of the reasons I have created my own web-site is because I have always wanted to know how to build sites and as I am interested in so many things, it brings me new friends all the time asking for more information - even you have found my small English tribute to Anne Golon. There is still plenty of work to do but I like to keep the news part (such as the new film) up to date.
Please call me Anna if we correspond further.
Best wishes
Anna
On 7th February 2014, Pascaline C********u wrote:
Dear Anna,
I see that you are also fan of Juliette BENZONI's books. I also like them as many as Angelica's readers. But I think except for the historical background, there are less interesting than Angelica. The characters are always the same and a bit 'stereotypés" ; generally the heroin has suffered in her childhood or teen age. There is always a rape, a "bad husband", impossible or difficult love story. So at the beginning you already know the end os the story. But as ANNE GOLON, Juliette BENZONI describes a very detailed and true historical background. Reading her books I learned a lot about some historical figures more or less known. Les Rois Maudits is not a serie easy to read. Have you seen the TV films about it? I prefer the first TV films dated from the 70th..[70s]
You seem to be fond of History. I am fascinated by History, I read a lot of historical novels and also a lot of History books such as biographies about historical people. About British history I have read PHILIPPA GREGORY's novel "L'héritage BOLEYN" (I do not know english title). My preferred periods are 17th and 18th century.
Well if you are able to read French, why do not you participate in our "forum" . We have foreign members who sometimes post some messages on our forum. And for us it will be interesting to have opinion about Angelica's British readers.
Best wishes,
Pascaline
14th February 2013, J Anna Ludlow wrote:
Hello Pascaline
Very nice to hear from you and thank you for the invitation to participate in the French forum. I can read French quite easily but conversation and responding in French is very difficult as I have not had any practice for many years, so would prefer not to make an idiot of myself ;-(
I fell in love with Les Rois Maudits many years ago when the BBC showed the Jean Piat version as part of an international season - I have the DVDs and also the new ones although I have not yet watched to compare - Jean Piat will always be Robert de Artois for me! I do enjoy the Catherine books as much as Angélique and am in contact with the Juliette Benzoni web site owners and have been for many years - they helped a lot of English readers by putting an authorised translation of Dame de Montsalvy on their site.
If you wish to read about the Tudor Period - Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I - try two authors Alison Weir (her novels not her history books as she also writes as an historian) or Hilary Mantell (Bring up the Bodies and Wolfs Hall) (Le Conseiller, Tome 1 : Dans l'ombre des Tudors) - they are accurate, as is Jean Plaidy (but a little old-fashioned for today's tastes) - I'm afraid Philippa Gregory completely twists historical facts to suit herself and is wildly inaccurate - she made herself very popular with 'The Other Boleyn Girl' which was also made into a film but I cannot bring myself to like her style or content.
I look forward to keeping in touch with you and please let me know if there is anything on my website that is inaccurate - I am about to do an article on Der Spiegel who promoted Anne Golon from the 1950-80s and in fact the Germans published her work before the French publishing houses so that is a wonderful story as are the 'publishing wars' that Der Spiegel writes about and the fact that Opera Mundi owns the 'world rights' to Angélique .......
Keep well
Anna
From: abigailberne@
Date: 28th February 2014 12:30:16 GMT
To: J Anna Ludlow
Subject: Re: Angelica book " Le Royaume de France" (Kingdom of France)
Hello Anna,
Sorry for late reply but I do not look at my emails on this address every day and I only read your last one few days ago.
Regarding your participation in our FRENCH Forum do not be afraid. We have [a] member from Italy who as you read french but cannot write it, so she replys in Italian and we use translator. It could be the same for you and members of the forum who do not read english could use translator.
I have seen both version of "Les Rois Maudits" and according to me old version with JEAN PIAT is better, costumes are more realistic than in the new version. In this one some of the costumes and furnitures seems a little bit more futurist than medieval. And as I saw the old version being child, for me too, JEAN PIAT will be forever ROBERT D'ARTOIS. I have exactly the same feeling with ANGELICA's film, I prefer the old version and for me Angelica and Joffrey will always be Michele MERCIER and ROBERT HOSSEIN. Films have been shown so much time on TV that I cannot imagine anybody else playing their roles. They became a mythic couple and films are now mythic. That is one of the reason for me which explains, bad results of new film. And also Zeitoun's choice for cast. Old Angelica 's films are so mythic now that remakes will always been failures. I agree with the opinion of one member of the Forum who said that these films are a little bit our "French Gone with the Wind". And for that reason all remakes will be failures. American people who make a lot of remakes have never made one of mythic "Gone with the Wind". Well that is my opinion.
OK I will look more accurately to your website. Did you already write your article?
Best regards,
Pascaline
And so, this seems to have been the conclusion of our correspondence (unless I find anything else in my copious notes scattered all over the computer), I must have a copy of the petition letter somewhere otherwise why would I have saved the correspondence? Hopefully in due time this may come to light. On re-reading all this it is nice to have met someone who shared my passion for Jean Piat** as Robert d'Artois.
Born: 23 September 1924, Lannoy, France | Died: 18 September 2018, Paris, France
Cursed kings: 4ème episode: the She-wolf of France
Jean Piat's portrait in Robert d' Artois's role, in "cursed Kings", Claude Barma's production according to the romantic cycle of Maurice Druon. (Photo by Jean Adda\INA via Getty Images)
** Actually there's a funny story about that - I used to visit Paris regularly to see my friend Anna whom I'd known since childhood and thanks to her was able to travel around Paris freely in the knowledge that if there was something I couldn't understand she would help me out. Happily for me she came with me to meet Anne Golon that first time in Versailles or the visit would have been a disaster! She also trawled the bookshops with me so that I could find the final three books (which I did) and bought me the 5-video box-set of the films starring Mercier and Hossein (which Anne hated) before the days of instant internet purchase when I bought the DVDs in French and Polish for myself! Back to the funny story, we used to talk to each other for hours and on one occasion I was rattling on about 'Les Rois Maudits' and Jean Piat and wanting to know more about him. When she actually managed to intervene and said 'But Jean Pierre who?' I heard Piat for Pierre as she had heard Pierre for Piat and my response was 'Your know Jean Piat famous French actor' and so this ping-ponging went on until the penny dropped and she said 'spell the name' .......
Then I found this - Jean Piat was the voice of Gandalf!
From the artist Suisei : 'As I'm tired of having worked a little too much in the last months, I took a little break in my Inktober. Here is Robert d'Artois, played by Jean Piat in The Accursed Kings in 1972, adaptation of the series of novels of the same name that inspired Game of Thrones. An opportunity for you to put a face to Gandalf's French voice.'
Personally, although I love this piece of Manga artwork I actually think the face looks much more like Gary Oldman as Sirius Black!
Page refreshed : 15th July 2020 (G)