Accursed Kings Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The Iron King | 1955 | Buy |
| The Strangled Queen | 1955 | Buy |
| The Poisoned Crown | 1956 | Buy |
| The Royal Succession | 1957 | Buy |
| The Lily and The Lion | 1959 | Buy |
| The She-Wolf of France | 1959 | Buy |
| The King Without a Kingdom | 1977 | Buy |
Les Grandes Familles Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| La fin des hommes | 1948 | Buy |
| La Chute des Corps | 1950 | Buy |
| Rendez-vous aux enfers | 1951 | Buy |
Maurice Druon was born in Paris in 1918 and lived one of the more remarkable lives in 20th century French letters. During World War II, he escaped to London and joined the Free French forces, where he co-wrote Le Chant des Partisans with his uncle Joseph Kessel. This song became the unofficial anthem of the French Resistance.
After the war, Druon turned to fiction. His novel Les Grandes Familles won France’s most prestigious literary award, the Prix Goncourt, in 1948. But his lasting legacy would be the Accursed Kings series, begun in 1955. Drawing on extensive historical research, Druon brought 14th century France to life with vivid characters and political intrigue that has influenced historical fiction writers ever since.
Druon’s career extended beyond literature. He served as Minister of Cultural Affairs from 1973 to 1974 and was elected to the Académie française in 1966, eventually becoming its perpetual secretary. He remained active in French cultural life until his death in 2009 at age 90.