(no subject)

[some_stars]

Are there any historical novels about Frederick the Great? I remember thinking in 11th grade history class that there ought to be, and then I was recently reminded of him and thought so anew.

Comments

[thingswithwings]

IDK about historical novels, but I highly, HIGHLY recommend all of Lytton Strachey's short biographical sketches on him and Voltaire (most easily read, in order, in the collection Biographical Essays, but also locatable in, I think, Characters and Commentaries). He does four or five on Voltaire and Frederick, and over the course of them highlights the intensely hilarious and queer relationship between them. It's probably a total of, like, thirty pages, but it's overwhelmingly good.

[some_stars]

Oh wow, I clearly need to read these! I am very much interested in that.

[ratcreature]

Yes there are a bunch. Anything from historical mysteries set at the court, to novels retelling his unhappy childhood and conflict with his father, to stuff about that opera singer at his court, Gertrud something, about this speculation over his relationship to his valet... I have no idea which of these are translated into English, though. And I couldn't even rec any, because I'm not very into that period. But with his three hundred year birthday having been celebrated this year, there was a ton of Prussia stuff *everywhere*. You couldn't miss it.

[some_stars]

Oh man, well of course there would be in eastern Europe. I don't know why that didn't occur to me /o\ Now I must seek translations!

[ratcreature]

He's one of these historical figures onto which every present and almost every ideological direction projects *a lot*. I suppose like the Americans do with their "founding fathers"?