D’où cet ouvrage Paoli et les Femmes où Michel Vergé-Franceschi s’est associé à une jeune professeure d’anglais, Anna Gnedina-Moretti, Russe, Docteur en Art qui travaille sur l’Histoire des Femmes et la littérature féminine. Ce double regard masculin/féminin permet de mieux cerner le Héros corse à travers trois réseaux : les Femmes politiques qu’il a rencontrées (Marie-Antoinette, la reine Charlotte d’Angleterre), ou qui lui ont écrit (la tsarine Catherine II). Les femmes de son entourage londonien, Écossaises, Anglaises, Américaines, romancières, musiciennes, pédagogues, peintres, artistes. Et enfin les femmes de sa famille, mère, sœurs, nièces et petites-nièces. Paoli, homme privé, célibataire troublé par les charmes de la marquise de la Jamaïque, de la duchesse d’Albanie, de Maria Cosway ou des jeunes touristes de Bath, voilà un ouvrage qui répond à bien des interrogations.

Pascal Paoli (1725-1807) is well-known as a politician. Several biographies are dedicated to his political life and achievements. One of them is written by Professor Michel Vergé-Franceschi (ed. Fayard) and was awarded by the French Academy for the bicentenary of his death in 2007. However, Paoli’s private life is less known. The book Paoli et les Femmes aims at bringing light to this unexplored side of his existence. Michel Vergé-Franceschi co-wrote this book with Anna Gnedina-Moretti, PhD in Arts, who does research on Women’s History and Literature. This dual perspective allows to better analyze the Corsican Hero through three main themes: Women in Politics that he met (Marie-Antoinette, Queen Charlotte of Great Britain) or who wrote to him (Catherine the Great of Russia). Women of his acquaintance in London: Scottish, English, American, musicians, pedagogues, painters. And finally Women from his family: mother, sisters, nieces and great-nieces. You will discover a different portrait of this famous man who remained single all his life: Paoli who was moved by the Marchioness of Jamaica, the duchess of Albania, Paoli who was attracted to young ladies in Bath , Paoli who wrote passionate letters to Maria Cosway…