In Which Balance on French History is Hard to Get Correctly

Good evening, my friend, dear reader of this present post! Happy Monday of a new week! The month of April 2026 reaches its final days, hopefully those will proceed nicely. How are you? Hopefully your werkend went well and with no incidents? Those can be disruptive and bothersome. My own set of days went okay overall. I did receive an important document this Friday, which was the results of my neuropsychological evaluation. As it turns out, I have an IQ above average! It caught me by surprise and I am so happy to see it! My own is at 110, and though this is not exactly what would be called "geniality" territory, that is quite functional and then some, therefore I am happy, on that end. The test flagged exactly what is going on in my head, the result is not entirely positive, and this is not that it can be fixed or cured, it is frustrating how that is not the case with brain issues and quirks, just mitigated and dealt with. I do not have ADHD, but I do have OCD, in a level higher than I was anticipating, and I also have high level of anxiety. As I said, not exactly something to be cured, just mitigated and dealt with... as I tend to say, one step at a time. 

I should be careful for dad not to see this test on the raw numbers, as my dad does not understand mental concerns like the anxiety and OCD, he does not like therapy, never did, and, God bless him, he thinks one can overcome such concerns with willpower and enough exercise and healthy habits. That is better than most attitudes I suppose, dad does have a tendency of turning his qualities in vices, though, alas. It is what it is... Grandma would probably be too impressed by the numbers, not in a good way, and as such, I should not mention to her either.

I cannot be grateful enough of the friends I have online, I told some of them of the good parts and the bad ones, they were quite gentle and comprehensive! I always want to praise them to heavens because they deserve to be praised, they have marvelous talents, every one of them. 

After I finished that very intriguing and most excellent (with caveats) book by Madame Jacobs,  I have been trying to find another reading material. I have looked around on my own and by now quite big library of e-books to read, even adding new ones, and I have for now settled on the works of the excellent Frederic Bastiat, a french deputy and thinker of his own right, that tragically went too soon for his days, a death that cut short what would have been an immense intellectual. He did achieve much, but had he live more, he would be even more formidable, it is a shame that tuberculosis took him away on another moment of deep instability on the often frustrating political history of France, the country that has known no peace, alas, since they forsake their Bourbonic monarchy. 

Speaking of which, I got this book by Maria Ana Vidal (I think that is her name, I am quoting out of memory) on Marie Antoinette, as you all know this majestic french queen is the love of my life. I just wanted a light read for the day. Found the book to have good moments, but for now I took a break from the reading, I cannot forgive her for dismissing Louis 15th, and his brilliant mistress Marquise de Pompadour. I even felt bad she trashed on the controversial but not nearly as despised as the portrait suggests madame du Barry. I understand that Du Barry was not exactly of orthodox origins, but the 18th century was quite wild, in more ways than one. I found it a bit anachronistic to judge such crazy century through the morality more akeen to the 19th century's romantic christian revival. I think most nobles had more issue with how lowborn Du Barry was, rather than she being king's mistress. 

As for the population of France, people assume that Louis was hated due to his loss at the seven year's war, and though the fact France did end the conflict losing Canada and Indian possessions, the major part of their colonial domains, the war was at the time more of a pyrric victory for Britain than anything else. The finances of the nation were diminished, true, but it was not Louis 15th the responsible for causing the fiscal crisis of the late 1770's and 1780's, which would in the end derail the french Empire in more ways than one.

Madame Vidal has much softer touch with Louis 16th, which I can understand where she is coming from, but I should say Louis 16th, much as I like him, and I do, in my opinion, was the responsible for the fall of his reign. It was not done out of malice but deep naivete, when he reestablished the parlement de Paris, as an example, and decided to back the American independence War, which was an immense miscalculation, if you ask me. For those mid but borderline unforgivable mistakes, I don't think I even want to continue reading this book. It is not exactly a problem that I have with her alone, as even another author I appreciate, Olivier Bernier, did a book on Marie, that I started and was underwhelmed by it. Hard to get the balance right I suppose.

Wow, I was going just mention briefly a book and we are already in so many lines and words here on this publication's entry! I suppose, unfortunately, I should move next to wrap this one up for today, as I detest when a post gets too long. Now, I really hope to be back real soon, don't worry, hopefully before May, but for now, I say farewell... Thank you for being here, my friend! Wish you the best! Never say die!!!