In a page-turner, things must by necessity go from bad to worse to unthinkable—and swiftly. The pages of Allegra Goodman’s historical novel, “Isola,” turn and turn beneath the readers ...

The remains of Anne d'Alègre, a French noblewoman who lived from 1565 to 1619, have yielded a remarkable insight into sophisticated dental procedures: fine gold wiring and an ivory prosthetic tooth.

The story of the Countess d'Orsini, French noblewoman and courtesan at the court of the Spanish king, who acted as an agent for the King of France and was one of the most powerful people at the ...