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D'Eon

The Wonder of Her Sex

D'Eon cover

D'Eon

The Wonder of Her Sex

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Pre-order. Available Oct 29 2026
$157.95 RRP $175.50 Website price saving $17.55 (10%)

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Description

Author, envoy, soldier, spy, the Chevalière d'Eon spent half her life in France, presenting as a man, and the other half in London, presenting as a woman. D'Eon fought in battle, negotiated peace treaties and leaked state secrets, narrowly escaping the Bastille. Defying royal authority and gender norms alike, in the 1770s she became one of Europe's first celebrities.
Drawing on a raft of unpublished life writings, Conlin reveals for the first time how d'Eon used a range of genres and voices to tell the story of her transition. He provides a comprehensive account of d'Eon's place in trans history, Anglo-French relations, and celebrity culture. Rather than a postmodern masquerade of gender play, Conlin argues that d'Eon's multiple avatars offer us a new way of telling trans lives.

Table of Contents

List of Figures
Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Prologue: Drawn from the Body
A Note on Names and Pronouns
1. Child of Thunder, 1728-1752
2. From Paris to St Petersburg, 1753-1759
3. The Hopes of a Good Patriot, 1759-1761
4. The Next War, 1762-1764
5. Publish And Be Damned, 1764-1765
6. The Mimic of Wilkes, 1766-1770
7. He or She Policies, 1770-1774
8. Figaro, 1774-1777
9. The Prodigal Returns, 1777-1785
10. Her Last Push, 1785-1796
11. Out of This World, 1796-1803
12. The Chevalière in Her Labyrinth, 1804-1810
Conclusion: Adventurer, Saint, Celebrity
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published Oct 29 2026
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Pages 272
ISBN 9798216493648
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Dimensions 229 x 152 mm
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Jonathan Conlin

Jonathan Conlin is Senior Lecturer in Modern Histo…

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