09/20/2021
Historic nonfiction with a romantic twist, Fallon’s (The German University) graceful account of his foray into family history asks, “Were my father and I, as well as our forebears, biological descendants of the charismatic Frenchman?” The Frenchman in question is none other than the storied writer, lover, politician, and historian François-René Chateaubriand, who died in 1848. In answer, Fallon beautifully recounts his meticulous, decades-long research into a family story about the relationship between Chateaubriand and Mary Neale—affectionately dubbed “the Irish girl.” The quest begins in his late father’s study, where four letters his father left Fallon nearly crumble in his hands and lead him on a bewitching journey of love, pain, and discovery.
Fallon aptly recruits myriad external resources (genealogists, biographers, police departments, trips abroad) to investigate Chateaubriand, Mary, and then Thomas Fallon (Mary’s son). Each is placed in thorough historical context (French Revolution, New World, 19th century sexual norms) so seamlessly that this book’s human interest is impossible to divorce from either its literary analysis (Fallon includes excerpts of Chateaubriand’s posthumous autobiography, whose title translates to Memoirs from Beyond the Grave) or the “known fact”s of the history. The prose, while lightly erudite, is unfailingly clear and engaging.
Fallon builds toward a compelling hypothesis, sometimes with excitement and at other times cautiously: “Of course, other imagined explanations, ordinary and bland, might be applied to the same known facts.” As tends to be the case with family legends, though, the author here finds the research eventually contesting those “known facts.” Still, the remarkable relationship between these figures and his family nevertheless remains enticing, and Fallon’s not insignificant discoveries—as well as his found historic documents—are presented with academic rigor and a storyteller’s élan. Whether fascinated by genealogical research or simply interested in the story of an empathic young girl and the man who loves her, inquisitive readers will enjoy this quick, compelling account of a rich slice of French history.
Takeaway: A lively dive into French history, family legend, and a storied lover and writer’s possible secret.
Great for fans of: François-René de Chateaubriand’s Memoirs From beyond the Grave, Malcolm Scott’s Chateaubriand: The Paradox of Change.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: A+ Editing: A Marketing copy: A
2021-10-08
This nonfiction work investigates the mysterious link between a family’s history and a French writer.
Daniel Fallon inherited two letters after his father’s death in 1989 that were written to Thomas Fallon, the author’s great-great-grandfather, in 1817 and sent by Hyacinthe Pilorge, a secretary. Pilorge worked for the influential writer, diplomat, and historian François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848). One letter included Chateaubriand’s signature, a capital C, and one was signed by Pilorge; both concerned Thomas’ education. It seemed likely that these letters could relate to a family legend that Irish girl Mary O’Neill offered food and shelter to Chateaubriand in the 1790s when he was living in London in dire straits. She later married Patrick Fallon and had a son named Thomas. Before returning to France, the grateful Chateaubriand pledged to educate the boy. Eventually, Thomas immigrated to Colombia, where he distinguished himself as a mining engineer and sired a line of similarly accomplished descendants. But why did Chateaubriand, often strapped for money, follow through on his promise? Could he have fathered Mary’s child? After a short Chateaubriand biography, Daniel Fallon’s book details his painstaking research into historical records, genealogy, and other sources—including DNA—to discover the truth and its significance. The author, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland at College Park, writes an informed, intelligent study that’s part history, part mystery. By nailing down “the Fallon affair,” the volume makes a real contribution to Chateaubriand scholarship. It also serves to demonstrate how a fine education can considerably boost a family’s fortunes. The legend of the Irish girl adds a romantic layer to the author’s diligent digging, and though a good deal of speculation, maybes, and might-haves draw these reflections together, the reasoning is plausible and well supported.
An engaging historical treasure hunt with some intriguing findings.
