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Title: LOUIS XIV BY HILAIRE BELLOC
Review: I'VE FOUND THAT BELLOC DOES'NT WRITE BIOGRAPHIES IN THE ACCEPTED SENSE OF THAT WORD, A TELLING OF THE DATES OF YOUR SUBJECT FROM BIRTH TO DEATH; RATHER HE WRITES AN EXAMINATION OF THAT PERSON, WHAT THEIR CHARACTER IS, WHAT EFFECT ON HISTORY THEY HAVE, AND THE LIKE. HERE, HE EXAMINES A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF INHERITED MONARCHY AS A TYPE OF GOVERNMENT. IT IS TOO EASY FOR US TODAY TO COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTAND MONARCHY, BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT PROPAGANDA AGAINST IT. AFTER ALL, WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY, DON'T WE? DO WE? HOWEVER, ALMOST EVERY GOVERNMENT FROM THE FIRST UNTIL ABOUT THE 17OO'S WERE MONARCHIES. WHY? HERE, IN THIS BOOK, YOU WILL FIND THE BEGINNINGS OF AN ANSWER. ONE MAY DISAGREE WITH BELLOC'S THINKING, BUT ONE ALWAYS LEARNS WHEN READING HIS BOOKS! THIS ONE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THAT IT PRESENTS A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE OF THOSE TIMES AND OF THAT MAN, LOUIS XIV, AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS 'CABINET.'
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