Kate Berridge

Madame Tussaud was taught by her “uncle”(? Not sure if he was really her uncle, or just the man her mother worked for) to form wax models. She also turned out to be a pretty good marketer and businesswoman. She lived through the French Revolution, then took her wax figures with her to England. From there, she travelled through Scotland and Ireland. Meanwhile, her husband and one son (the other son was with her) stayed in France (until the younger son was in his early 20s, at which time he joined his mother and brother). A man she had gone into business with when she went to England and her husband took advantage of her brilliant head for business (and the money that came from it).

Most of what people know of the early part of Marie Grosholtz’s (Madame Tussaud’s) life came from her own autobiography. This author tries to verify (but has a hard time doing so) much of what Marie wrote about her own life. It seems that there may have been a lot of exaggeration, particularly during the French Revolution, when she created wax figures out of decapitated heads during the “Terror”. It was easier to verify her life (as she became more well-known) once she moved to England.

The book was ok, but a few too many parts of it were kind of dry reading. All I knew about her was from Michelle Moran’s book, but her book pretty much ended when Marie moved to England. I hadn’t realized she had done as much travelling as she had – to promote her show and her wax models. She really does seem to have had a good head for business, but much of her money was taken by a bad deal with the man she went into business with in England (until she untangled herself from him) and her dud of a husband in France.… (més)

I'm very disappointed in Kate Berridge's "Madame Tussaud: A Life in Wax." I would have guessed that Madame Tussaud and the time she lived - before, during and after the French Revolution - would have been fascinating to read about, but this book is dry and dull, except for the occasional sarcastic zingers, which seem totally inappropriate for the subject. Kate Berridge does not even try to hide her contempt for Madame Tussaud, and the reader is left to wonder why, then, she chose to write a 300+ page book with her as the supposed central character. I say 'supposed' because, in fact, the book seems to have very little to do with Madame Tussaud herself. Not recommended.… (més)

Ein Leben in Wachs - die Geschichte der Madame Tussaud Es klingt wie im Märchen: Eine mittellose Halbwaise, die im Hause eines gebildeten Onkels Obdach findet, zu einer gewandten jungen Frau heranwächst und dann in Paris Aufstieg und Fall Ludwigs XVI. erlebt. Doch Marie Tussaud, 1761 als Marie Grosholtz im elsässischen Straßburg geboren, hat Glück - und Geschick. 1789 muss die junge Wachsbildnerin, die schon Voltaire und Angehörige des hohen Adels porträtieren durfte, die Schrecken der Revolution mitansehen. Die Jakobiner zwingen sie, Totenmasken prominenter Opfer der Guillotine anzufertigen, doch sie selbst überlebt. Mit der Erbschaft ihres Onkels, einer Wachsfigurensammlung, macht sie sich 1802 auf den Weg nach England. Am Londoner Strand zeigt Madame Tussaud ihre erste Show mit den Berühmten der damaligen Welt. Die Menschen stehen Schlange - bis heute.… (més)