Amélie Rives Troubetzkoy
Encyclopedia
Amélie Louise Rives Troubetzkoy (1863–1945) was an American novelist and poet
. Rives wrote at least twenty-four volumes of fiction, numerous uncollected poems, and Herod and Marianne (1889), a verse drama. In 1888, she published novel The Quick or the Dead?, her most famous and popular work that sold 300,000 copies. The work depicted erotic passions of a newly widowed woman and earned Rives notoriety. Later she turned to theater and began writing plays for Broadway
. Her play The Fear Market ran for 118 performances at the Booth Theatre
in 1916.
A goddaughter of Robert E. Lee
and a granddaughter of the engineer and senator William Cabell Rives
, who had also been American ambassador to France
, she was born in Richmond, Virginia
and named after her aunt Amélie, a goddaughter of French Queen Marie-Amélie . Amélie Rives married eccentric John Armstrong Chanler (an heir to the Astor family
fortune) of New York. The marriage was scandalous, but unhappy. The couple spent seven years as husband and wife, but most of the time lived apart. Rives flirted with George Curzon
, her husband's younger brother, and began using drugs. In 1896, just four months after their divorce, she married Pierre Troubetzkoy
, an artist and aristocrat. The couple resided at Castle Hill
, near Cismont, Virginia
.
She was a close friend of novelist Julia Magruder
, a frequent guest at Castle Hill, as well as prominent New York novelist Louis Auchincloss
, who included a charming chaper on her in his memoir, A Writer's Capital.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. Rives wrote at least twenty-four volumes of fiction, numerous uncollected poems, and Herod and Marianne (1889), a verse drama. In 1888, she published novel The Quick or the Dead?, her most famous and popular work that sold 300,000 copies. The work depicted erotic passions of a newly widowed woman and earned Rives notoriety. Later she turned to theater and began writing plays for Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. Her play The Fear Market ran for 118 performances at the Booth Theatre
Booth Theatre
The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 222 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan, New York City.Architect Henry B. Herts designed the Booth and its companion Shubert Theatre as a back-to-back pair sharing a Venetian Renaissance-style façade...
in 1916.
A goddaughter of Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
and a granddaughter of the engineer and senator William Cabell Rives
William Cabell Rives
William Cabell Rives was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from Albemarle County, Virginia. He represented Virginia as a Jackson Democrat in both the U.S. House and Senate and also served as the U.S. minister to France....
, who had also been American ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, she was born in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and named after her aunt Amélie, a goddaughter of French Queen Marie-Amélie . Amélie Rives married eccentric John Armstrong Chanler (an heir to the Astor family
Astor family
The Astor family is a Anglo-American business family of German descent notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics.-Founding family members:...
fortune) of New York. The marriage was scandalous, but unhappy. The couple spent seven years as husband and wife, but most of the time lived apart. Rives flirted with George Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
, her husband's younger brother, and began using drugs. In 1896, just four months after their divorce, she married Pierre Troubetzkoy
Trubetskoy family
Trubetskoy , Трубецкой , Трубяцкі , Trubecki , Trubetsky , Трубецький , Troubetzkoy , Trubezkoi or Trubetzkoy , is a Ruthenian Gediminid gentry family of Black Ruthenian stock, like many other princely houses of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, later prominent in Russian...
, an artist and aristocrat. The couple resided at Castle Hill
Castle Hill (Virginia)
Castle Hill , is an historic, plantation located at the foot of the Southwest Mountains in Albemarle County, Virginia, near Monticello and the city of Charlottesville, recognized by the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Castle Hill was the beloved home of Dr...
, near Cismont, Virginia
Cismont, Virginia
Cismont is an unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia....
.
She was a close friend of novelist Julia Magruder
Julia Magruder
Julia Magruder, was an American novelist. Most of her novels are love stories in which the heroine must face obstacles in pursuit of her goal to find true love. Several of her novels were serialized in the Ladies' Home Journal...
, a frequent guest at Castle Hill, as well as prominent New York novelist Louis Auchincloss
Louis Auchincloss
Louis Stanton Auchincloss was an American lawyer, novelist, historian, and essayist. He is best known as a prolific novelist who parlayed his firsthand knowledge into dozens of finely wrought books exploring the private lives of America's East Coast patrician class...
, who included a charming chaper on her in his memoir, A Writer's Capital.
Novels
- A Brother to Dragons and Other Old-time Tales (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1888)
- Virginia of Virginia (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1888)
- Herod and Mariamne (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1888)
- The Quick or the Dead? A Study (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1888)
- Witness of the Sun (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1889)
- According to St. John (John W. Lovell Co., New York, 1891)
- Barbara Dering: A Sequel to The Quick or the Dead? (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1893)
- Tanis the Sang-Digger (Town Topics Publishing Co. New York, 1893)
- Athelwold (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1893)
- Meriel (Chatto & Windas, London, 1898)
- Augustine the Man (John Lane Company, New York, 1906)
- Seléné (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1905)
- A Damsel Errant (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1908)
- The Golden Rose: The Romance of A Strange Soul (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1908)
- Trix and Over-the-Moon (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1909)
- Pan's Mountain (Harper & Brothers, New York, 1910)
- Hidden House (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1912)
- World's End (Frederick A. StokesFrederick A. StokesFrederick A. Stokes was an eponymous American publishing company. Stokes was a graduate of Yale Law School. He had previously worked for Dodd, Mead and Company and then briefly had partnerships with others before founding his company in 1890....
& Co., New York, 1914) - Shadows of Flames (Hurst & Blackett, Ltd., London, 1915)
- The Elusive Lady (Hurst & Blackett, Ltd., London)
- The Ghost Garden (S. B. Gundy, Toronto, 1918)
- As The Wind Blew (Frederick A. Stokes & Co., New York, 1920)
- The Sea-Womans Cloak and November Eve (Stewart Kidd Co., Cincinnati, 1923)
- The Queerness of Celia (Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1926)
- Firedamp (Frederick A. Stokes & Co., New York, 1930)