Customer Reviews:
Not the typical Napoleon biography.......2006-02-25
Swords Around a Throne is not your typical Napoleon book. Elting concentrates on topics which MAY rate a sentence or paragraph in other biographies. Elting concentrates on the different divisions of the Grand Armée including uniforms, in-depth looks at his marshals and the navy instead of regurgitating the different battles he fought. Swords Around a Throne is a good change of pace to the other biographies of Napoleon as it provides a different aspect to the Napoleonic Wars and his empire. Well worth the time to read.
Generalization.......2006-02-01
The problem with thick books that try to capture large subjects is that they must generalize and leave out a lot of data, and here there is no difference. If you are looking of a general overview of the Grande Armee during more then two decades of the French First Republic and Empire, this book will inform. However it is not meant to provide or be a definitive statement on any of the topics discussed in the chapters. Its a guide, rather then a scholarly work. This is particularly true where armies other then French are discussed, or where equal space has been given to its largest corps, the Infantry or Cavalry.
Other works dealing with specific areas should be consulted after readin this work.
Informative and Interesting.......2005-11-23
This is an excellent book, both informative and interesting. Even while discussing rather dry topics, the author manages to work in humourous anecdotes or observations.
It is important to understand that this book is not a narrative history of Napoleon's campaigns--rather, it is broken down into chapters which describe various aspects of Napoleon's army--the guard, foreign units, allied units, supply organization, cavalry, artillery, and many many others; for each chapter/topic, the author describes the pre-Napoleonic context, as well as developments under Napoleon.
Entertaining and informative.......2005-07-19
Col. Elting's inimitable writing style is sorely missed. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago (which several reviewers will be saddened to learn). He wrote with such lively humor and energy, that he always entertained while he informed. Does the book contain a few flaws? Sure it does, and they have been mentioned in the other reviews. The author's approach, strictly speaking, is not what would be described as "scholarly." Elting is a bit of a francophile, but perhaps acts as counterbalance to the anglophilia that dominates most English-language work on the Napoleonic period. (Owen Connelly, another American, is one of the most objective writers covering the period). Overall, Swords Around A Throne surpasses most other studies of the "Grande Armee" if only by merit of Elting's irreplaceble prose.
If you read one book on Napoleon this must be it!.......2003-11-09
'One quick blow and the wars over' with these words Napoleon led his army from the banks of the English Channel towards Austria, towards a small town named Austerlitz.
This book is quite simply the best and more detailed thorough account of Napoleon and his grand army. It details such notables as General Ney, who fought Wellington in Spain and was latter suspected of treason by Napoleon. It details the invasion the russia, the 'napoleon at bay' campaigns of 1814 and the final showdown at waterloo. Great biogrpaical sketches are made of all Napoleons commanders and their various campaigns. Simply an excellent lucid account.
Book Description
World War I has been called "the war to end all wars", the first time combatants were mobilized on a massive scale to ruthlessly destroy an enemy. But as David Bell argues in this tour de force of interpretive history, the Great War was not, in fact, the first total war. For this, we need to travel back to the era of muskets and sailing ships, to the age of Napoleon. According to Bell, it was then that warfare was transformed into the hideous spectacle that seems ever present today. Indeed, nearly every modern aspect of war took root in that time: conscription, unconditional surrender, total disregard for the rules of combat, mobilization of civilians, guerrilla warfare, and the perverse notion of war fought for the sake of peace. The revolutionaries were leading "the last crusade for universal liberty." A war for such stakes could only be apocalyptic - and terribly bloody. With a historian's keen insight and a journalist's flair for detail, Bell brings this period to life while keeping an eye on our own "war of liberation" in Iraq. The parallels are astonishing, making this vivid narrative history as timely and important as it is unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
An Intellectual History of the Napoleonic Wars.......2007-02-28
We have grown accustomed to viewing the World Wars of the 20th century as the first total wars in modern history, for they required the total mobilization and militarization of the societies involved. Their accompanying ideologies, fascism and communism, were appropriately called totalitarian since they left no aspect of society unaffected. Now historian David A Bell has written a new and different history of the Napoleonic Wars (1792 - 1815) arguing that they were in fact the first total wars.
In his introduction, Bell tells us that he is borrowing techniques from intellectual history to write a military history. Traditionally military historians have restricted themselves to accounts of battlefield tactics and weapon systems. Bell is attempting to go further in showing that the ideals of the Enlightenment played a role in what he calls the first total war. He believes that the French Revolution - the apotheosis of the Enlightenment - radicalized people's ideas about how and why wars should be fought.
During the time of the ancien regime - which is Bell's main standard of comparison - wars were limited and short-lived. They were fought according to established rules and usually to defend the honor of this or that aristocrat; in fact, many times the armies were made up of mercenaries. The philosophes of the Enlightenment such as Kant, Diderot, d'Alembert, and the Marquis de Condorcet were certain that with the advent of reason wars would be a thing of the past. As late as 1790 Robespierre was declaring in the Assembly that the French nation had no desire to engage in war, that to invade another country and make it adopt their laws and constitution was the furthest thing from their minds.
Much changed in two years. By 1792 there was growing opposition to the revolutionary government in Paris, especially in Vendee. The government decided to put down this rebellion with a degree of brutality not seen before. They conducted a scorched-earth policy that spared no one. They made no distinction between combattants and non-combattants. The dogs of war had been unleashed to save the revolution and to obliterate any dissent.
Bell explores the nature of total war and how it feeds on itself. Once the military becomes front and center of the government, war becomes unstoppable. All of the nations resources and efforts went to the Grand Armee to create an empire in places as far as Egypt and Russia.
In his retelling of the Spanish campaign, Bell attempts to draw a parallel with America's intervention in Iraq. To an extent there are some parallels. Napoleon claimed to be bringing Enlightenment ideals and reform to Spain, yet the insurgency would have none of it. This, however, is a distraction from Bell's thesis; whatever else it is doing in Iraq, America is not conducting a total war. This is a very restrained and cautious use of military power. In fact, Napoleon's excursion into Spain was somewhat cautious to be called total war.
When contrasted with what transpired in the preceding century and what the philosophes predicted, the Napoleonic Wars were barbaric and total, but it is still not clear how they were different from, say, the Mongol invasions of the Middle Ages or the military expeditions of Alexander the Great. Its seems that the so-called total wars of Napoleon have been done before. The total mobilization of people and resources is as old as human history. Mutual and absolute hatred for the enemy is a timeless emotion. Bell's argument that hell hath no fury like a citzen's army is reminiscent of Victor Davis Hanson's thesis in Carnage and Culture, and it is as unconvincing.
Bell's book provides much food for thought on how quickly circumstances can change from permanent peace to permanent war without pinpointing exactly what triggers the change. Paranoia, perceived threat,and survival are all factors in the devolution of high ideals to base hostility. And why armies of citizens driven by Enlightenment ideals fight more effectively than previous armies is still unanswered. However, Bell makes a robust effort with this original work.
Tosh.......2007-02-05
David A. Bell operates by trying to sneak ridiculous analogies past his readers, then treating them as true by definition. And what a convincing conclusion: dreaming of peace causes modern wars; if we all just accepted the necessity of war, then we'd be better off.
"No one likes armed missionaries".......2007-01-21
There is a hilarious and biting excerpt from Bell's analysis of the French Revolution. During one of the debates in the Assembly, it was suggested that if the French armies were to invade their neighbours, overthrow the benighted royalist regimes, and offer the glories of representative democracy, then the peoples of those countries would greet the French with gratitude. Bell recounts that Maximilian Robespierre gave a cynical but accurate rejoinder, "No one likes armed missionaries". Bell suggests that Robespierre showed better understanding of practical sociology than some current leaders. Though the latter were left unspecified, he was clearly referring to George Bush and the liberation of Iraq. For some reason, the Iraqis don't seem very grateful to Americans!
An interesting but flawed thesis.......2007-01-06
David Bell has written an interesting but somewhat flawed book which states that the Napoleonic Wars was the first total war in European history. According to Bell the intellectual origins of the Napoleanic wars occurred with the writings of elightenment philosophers who wanted to go back to the Classical period in which all the citizens of the republic were part of the army. This theory about the armed republic became reality during the French revolution in which mass conscription took place. As a result of the Napoleonic wars, accroding to Bell, aristocrats soon lost their place with the French army and later in the nineteenth century with other Eurpean armies. As a result classes that taught aristcratic values for army officers were soon replaced by those that stressed technical skills. Also every citizen was judged a combatant and this led to massacres committed by French forces during the Vendee and in Spain and Italy. The are two main weaknesses in Bell's case that the Napoleonic Wars was the first truly modern war in history. The first is Bell's belief that aristocrats and royals were eliminated from the army but this was not the case with the German army in the First World War which included the Bavarian Prince Ruppert as a commander of the main German armies and the Tsarist army of the same time period who had Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich and Tsar Nicholas II as head of the army. Also the Napoleonic wars as being a precursor to the atrocities committed during the two world wars seems to be flawed in that the genocides that occurred in the first half of the twentieth century were based on the physical elimination of class and ethinc groups unlike the massacres in Spain,France, and Italy in the early nineteenth century. Despite these major flaws this book is still an interesting book to read.
Book Description
This lavishly illustrated book retraces the meteoric career of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the "little Corsican" who rose from the ashes of the ancien régime to become the most charismatic and powerful European leader since Alexander the Great. Accompanied by paintings, drawings, engravings, caricatures, sculpture, film stills, posters, and other examples of Napoleonic iconography, the text tells the story of the leader's life, his myth, and his enduring fame over two centuries.
An inspired master of propaganda, Bonaparte was acutely aware of his image at every stage of his progress, from the lean man of action painted by Gros in the 1790s through Ingres's Zeus-like sovereign of 1806, to the tragic, fallen hero apotheosized in stone by Rude. Later depictions of Napoleon cast him as Romantic hero and unsurpassed military strategist but also as Corsican despot and anti-Christ. In addition to work by artists ranging from the court painter David to Larry Rivers in our own time, the book presents clothing, jewels, furniture, porcelain, and silver from Malmaison and other Napoleonic residences, each a paradigm of Empire elegance. All ?nd a place in a book whose fascinating combination of history, biography, and the arts is sure to ?nd a wide audience.
Customer Reviews:
A Sumptous, Beautifully Crafted Visual Guide to Naploen.......2004-10-02
"Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor" is a sumptuous exploration of the life and legacy of the French Emperor. This is not a conventional biography, of which there are many, but a thematic exploration of Napoleon through images with explanatory text. While I lost whatever boyhood infatuation I had with Napoleon and learned to view him in the context of the terrible costs inflicted on the French nation and their unfortunate opponents in his long wars of conquest, an epoch was named for him and the arts reflected the glory he achieved. Even the decorative arts were inspired by his conquest and "Empire Style" with echoes of the Near East he conquered was born. Napoleon lived at a time when France was the artistic capital of the world and artists like Jacques Louis David, Baron Gros and Anne-Louise Girodet immortalized him. After his death, in a nation that never again stood astride Europe in the same way, the cult of Bonaparte lived on. Later in the 19th Century, the great military artists of France - Ernst Messionier and Edouard Detaille - continued to paint Napoleon and his soldiers. When his grandson, Napoleon III was the French autocrat, the Empire style was revived and paintings of Napleon's days of glory were purchased for the state. Finally, in the 20th Century he became the subject for countless films and this legacy is given the same visual exploration in the volume. This vivid exploration of Napoleon - the man and the myth - is written by Gerald Gengembre who is a professor of French literature at the University of Caen in Normandy. He has assembled several hundred illustrations, each annotated with relevant detail so that he reveals each facet of the man and history's interpretation of him. This large book will be of interest not only to those with a fascination with Napoleon and his time, but to those with an interest in beautifully crafted paintings and French culture.
A good pictorial book, no more.......2004-07-19
For the diehard Napoleonic fan, this book is NOT the bible on Napoleonic lore. It is filled with good looking pictures (not great looking pictures) and is a nice companion to delve into on Napoleonic poetry, social mores, the legend and various films on Napoleon. Really, a potted history.
Vive L'Empereur!!!! Vive La France!!!!.......2004-04-27
Simply, THIS BOOK ROCKS!!!!......This is for ALL of us who dream of the Emperor reviewing the Old Guard, with Berthier, Davout, Lannes, etc. at his side....This is the perfect & ultimate illustrated companion for David Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon", which is the Bible on the Napoleonic Wars! ..The third section of the book which is devoted to the Emperor's Legend and Legacy is worth the price of the book alone, illustrations galore!!...There are two pages of photos, illustrations and text giving the lowdown on the topic of the Emperor's 'little hat'...He purchased over 160 hats from only one merchant in Paris!...So do not hesitate to purchase this wonder of a time machine!.....You will NOT regret it!.....
Book Description
At the turn of the 18th century the greatest nations in Europe, separated by only 21 miles of water, offered history two distinct ideals that would shape the new century: England was a democratic, constitutional monarchy; while France had suffered the cataclysm of Revolution which ripped the absolute King from the throne and replaced him with the Mob. Out of this emerged, Napoleon Bonaparte, commander of the revolutionary army, who would conquer Italy and Egypt before returning to Paris to proclaim himself Emperor. As Napoleon gained power in France, the world stood on the brink of total war.
By 1805 the General Napoleon was making plans to cross the channel and invade England. The subsequent drama reaches from the frozen plains surrounding Moscow to the Caribbean waters, from the debating chamber of the Parliament to the muddy fields of Waterloo. The Great French Wars (1793-1815) can truly be called the first global war; and also the first conflict driven by industrial might. Mostly, it was a battle between commanders that history will never forget; as Napoleon's revolutionary guard ravaged Europe, men like the Duke of Wellington, Horatio Nelson, and their allies, stopped Napoleon's complete domination of the continent.
Customer Reviews:
The War of Wars is a fine general history of the RevolutionaryWars of Napoleonic France.......2007-10-01
Historian Robert Harvey has crafted an excellent popularly written history of the violent Revolutionary Wars which devastated Europe from 1793 to the fall of Napoleon at Watereloo in 1815. Harvey's style is easy to read, anecdotal and filled with insights on this turbulent time in European history.
Harvey begins his long tome of over 800 close printed pages by examining the French Revolutiony of 1789. He emphasizes that the horrific wars between France and her enemies Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia and Spain had already begun before the Corsican corporal Napoleon Bnaparte emerged followin his military victory at the siege of Toulon.
Napoleon (1769-1821) was born in Corscia, attended a military academy in France and was cruelly ambitious. He seized power from the Directory in 1799 became a military dictator. To survive the crafty and crude Napoleon knew he would have to wage perpetual war to retain power. Harvey concludes that Napoleon was a great general but a terrible politician. The emperor won great victories in Northern Italy, Austerlitz, Marengo and other battles. His two tragic mistakes which cost him his crown was the launching of the disastrous Penisular war versus Spain 1808-1812 and the destruction of a large army in the snows of Russia. Napoleon's earlier campaign in Egypt was also a military disaster. Napoleon was corrupt and a nepotist who gave his large family rulership over much of continental Europe. He was a libertine who had many affairs and two wives: Josephine and Maria Louisa of Austria. His Polish lover Marie
Waleska had an illegitmate child by the amorous ruler. Napoleon was an atheist and a monster who was responsible for the deaths of millions of people. It was during his reign that total war came to Europe. Massive battles were waged foreshadowing the horrors of the trenches of World War I and the tragedy of the horrendous World War II which saw 60 million deaths the majority of which were of civilians.
Harvey is excellent in describing the naval exploits of such great sailors as Admiral Lord Nelson. His descriptions of the sea battles of Trafalagar, the Glorious First of June, Cophenhagen and other actions is fascinating reading. Harvey also is superb in describing naval warfare in the age of sail. He describes well the lives of the typical tar in the British and French navies.
The book contains adequate maps of the major battles, contains several typos and is well researched. If you want to read a good one volume history of the era this is the book for you. Recommended.
An Excellent Overview .......2007-04-21
Mr. Harvey's book is a 700+ page summary of the conflict generally known as the "Napoleonic Wars", although, as he points out, the fighting started long before Napoleon came to power. It is highly readable and very interesting. The writing was a little uneven. Some chapters were great, some were merely very good. Being neither an editor nor a teacher, I was not troubled by the minor editing errors that seem to have totally destroyed other reviewers enjoyment of this excellent book. Buy it, read it. You will not be disappointed.
History writing at its worst........2007-04-07
I can't think of the last book I've read that was so clumsily written, sloppily edited and poorly fact-checked. Popular history should at least strive to be readable; this book is unbearable.
Can I get my money back?.......2007-03-20
Well, I was all set to dig into this "new" history of the "war of wars," but something caught my eye early on -- sloppy editing. For instance, on p. 23 we read "The wily Robespierre brilliant exploited their dilemma." As I've often remarked on student papers, "Is that a sentence?" Then, on p. 39, the third paragraph begins, "The Incobins." Obviously the author meant Jacobins, but where was the editor on that one? Sorry, but to slog through another 700+ pages of that kind of editing is troublesome. To the author's credit, he has attempted a monumental task, and it is a book that needs to be written. But when I read (p. 45): "The Jacobins left only their memory -- egalitarianism, revolutionary terror, escalating mass purges -- to inspire future generations of murderous revolutionaries, particularly Communists in Russia, China, Kampuchea, and elsewhere," well, that's when I closed the book and realized that what I had been reading was little more than undisguised polemic. It's probably history as well but there are better books out there.
War of Wars.......2007-03-15
Excellent book and the narrative was most interesting and easy to follow.
Amazon.com
Between the years 1805 and 1815, the armies of Napoleon Bonaparte conquered most of continental Europe, establishing their leader, if but briefly, as "a new Charlemagne." In the second part of his two volumes on the life of the emperor, military historian Robert Asprey examines the armies' triumphs and eventual defeat, following in their footsteps from Spain to Russia, and on to Waterloo.
Bonaparte, Asprey writes, aspired to forge and lead a united, peaceful Europe, a quest that required much blood to be shed. A former U.S. marine officer, Asprey is a reliable commentator on matters of battlefield strategy and tactics, and his book's greatest strength is his power to invoke the feel of bloody engagements, which include the Battle of Borodino, where more than 40,000 Russians fell in a single day (cut down, he notes, by the more than 2 million rounds that French muskets fired); Wagram, where French forces managed to eke out victory over their Austrian foes despite a series of costly blunders; Corunna, where the French forces, having marched 15 and more miles a day, proved "that there have probably been no tougher soldiers in the world"; and the decisive action at Waterloo, where French, Belgian, German, and English armies clashed amid thunderstorms and confusion to an end that was anything but inevitable.
Other books do a better job of treating Napoleon as a political being, but Asprey's is one of the better recent books on Napoleon as general, and students of military history will learn much from his account. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
Robert Asprey completes his definitive, two-volume biography with an intimate, fast-paced look at Napoleon's daring reign and tragic demise with more of the personality and passion that marked the first volume of this cradle to the grave biography.
In The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, Asprey showed us that Napoleon was not the father of chaos, but rather an heir to it. In this companion volume, we see Napoleon struggling to subdue the turmoil. We peer over Napoleon's shoulder as he solidifies his growing empire through a series of marriages, military victories, and shrewd diplomatic manipulations. We watch Napoleon lose control of his empire, plot his return from Elba, rally peasants in his march to Paris, endure defeat at Waterloo and suffer exile and a lonely death on the island of St. Helena. Robert Asprey tells this fascinating, tragic tale in lush narrative detail.
Customer Reviews:
The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte is a good general history of the reign of the little coroporal from Corsica.......2007-09-19
"The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte" is the second volume on the life of Napoleon by Robert Asprey. Volume One was entitled "The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte" covering his life from his birth in 1769 on Corsica to his victory at Austerlitz in 1085. That volume ends with Napoleon as the crowned emperor. All is well with the emperor!
In this final volume we see Napoleon meet his Waterloo as he is soundly defeated by Lord Wellington and the allies on June 18, 1815. Napoleon, who had earlier escaped from captivity on Elba where he had been exiled since his defeat at the Battle of the Nations, spent the last six years of his life on the South Sea island of St. Helena. Here Napoleon spent six miserable years of ennui, physical ailments and relatively harsh treatment from his English captors. His disdain for the governor of the ilsand Hudson Lowe was mutual. A sad end for the man who had made the great nations of Europe live in fear of the Grande Armee's military juggernaut.
Asprey briefly covers the major battles of this period. If you wish to study them in greater depth turn to David Chandler or John Elting's fine works on these huge and bloody confrontations. Asprey is good in superficially covering Napoleon's many amours including the sexy Marie
Walewski of Poland as well as his second wife Marie of Austria. Napoleon divorced the unfaithful Josephine but loved her until her death in 1814.
This book is a good introduction to the life and career of France's most famous political/military man. Napoleon was complex, hot-headed and
a man who had trouble dealing with the hand played him by Madame Fate.This
is a readable book. The maps included are minimal and poorly drawn. The period illustrations are well reproduced. It is a good book worthy to have a place on the bookshelves of miltary history buffs.
Eminently Readable Napolean Bio - Part II.......2007-09-13
Robert Asprey has written an outstanding biography about one of the world's greatest (or infamous) leaders.
Not drenched in military minutia or battlefield granularity, this 2nd volume presents a balanced and fair overview of the man and his leadership of France.
Asprey's literary style is entertaining and brisk. If you're looking for a bio that'll provide you with a solid foundation about how Napolean impacted Europe and the World -- you can't go wrong here.
Part 2 of an excellent biography.......2006-12-15
This is part two of the best biography of Napoleon that I have read. It is a focus on political and military history but does a decent job of covering the social aspects of napoleon's reforms. This book really focuses on the Napoleonic empire and its eventual fall. It also covers his return to power and does an excellent job of presenting the information clearly. The prose is well done and really makes for quick and interesting reading. This is a must have for anyone studying this era.
napoleon book bombs.......2004-02-09
I agree with Mr. Brooks' negative review on "Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte," by Robert Asprey. It would be comparable to reading a biography of Babe Ruth that was written by studying the box scores. The book has hardly anything about Napoleon's persona, which is promised in the preface, and important events are trivialized and hardly mentioned. After reading this and learning almost nothing, I opened a copy of Emil Ludwig's biograpy of Napoleon, written in 1926, which I had picked up years ago. Ludwig's book is much better.
Flawed.......2002-03-16
The second volume of Asprey's biography of Napoleon makes the same error of the first one: he focuses entirely on Napoleon's military career while virtually ignoring every other aspect of the man's life. Asprey has billed his book as an attempt to see the whole Napoleon, but in this he fails. Napoleon's personal life, his domestic policies in France, his philosophy, are passed over with scarely a mention.
Furthermore, even in covering Napoleon's military career, Asprey falls short. The section on the crossing of the Danube River during the 1809 Austrian Campaign, one of the most fascinating events in Napoleon's career, is covered in a confusing and slipslod manner, leaving the reader utterly at a loss to what actually happened. The Battle of Dresden, a massive engagement which lasted two days and was Napoleon's last major victory, is mentioned only in passing, without even a full sentence devoted to it. Overall, the writing gives the impression of an author in a hurry to meet a deadline, unable to carefully edit and correct his work.
This work fails in its stated purpose to present a full view of Napoleon's life, its writing style is somewhat sloppy and overall the book fails to impress.
Average customer rating:
- The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte is a good review of his life from Birth in 1769 to the batlle of Austerlitz in 1805
- Eminently Readable Napolean Biography
- Good Read
- An Inch Deep and a Mile Wide
- Great biography--for those already familiar with the subject
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The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
Robert Asprey
Manufacturer: Westview Press
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ASIN: 0465048811
Release Date: 2001-10-02 |
Book Description
Robert Asprey charts Napoleon's thrilling, reckless rise to power in this fast-paced first volume of the definitive biography of the fascinating, enigmatic, and still mysterious tragic conqueror.
Ever since 1821, when he died at age fifty-one on the forlorn and windswept island of St. Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte has been remembered as either demi-god or devil incarnate. In The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, the first volume of a two-volume cradle-to-grave biography, Robert Asprey instead treats him as a human being. Asprey tells this fascinating, tragic tale in lush narrative detail. The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte is an exciting, reckless thrill ride as Asprey charts Napoleon's vertiginous ascent to fame and the height of power. Here is Napoleon as he was-not saint, not sinner, but a man dedicated to and ultimately devoured by his vision of himself, his empire, and his world.
Customer Reviews:
The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte is a good review of his life from Birth in 1769 to the batlle of Austerlitz in 1805.......2007-09-17
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsican obscurity in 1769. He was involved in patriotic struggle in Corsica; studied at a French military school and won his fame during the French Revolution. Napoleon has had millions upon millions of words and thousands of books written upon his fabled career. In his life he became emperor of the French; fought the major powers of the nineteenth century such as Britain, Austria, Prussia, Austria and Russia; wed and divorced Josephine; married Maria Louise of Austria; lost at Waterloo and died in exile on the island of St. Helena.
Robert Asprey is an American historian who has authored several books of military history. This book is the first volume in a brisk two volume work. Asprey has a plain style; briefly covers major battles such as
the Battle of the Nile, Maregno and Austerlitz and delves into the love life and mecurial character of the little corporal who was the cynosure of so much adulation and hatred in the nineteenth century world.
Asprey does not go into excessive detail in describing military actions and his maps are few and far between. His coverage of diplomacy is not filled with details but does give the general reader an idea of the issues involved. If you seek a more scholarly and detailed look at the battles pick up the hefty tome "The Campaigns of Napoleon" by the eminent David Chandler; if you want more of the life of the average soldier in the French army turn to John Elting and if you want all the sexy intrigue of the Napoleonic court turn to Evangeline Bruce.
If, however, you are a student or a neophyte to Napoleonic study this fine general biography will be a good place to begin study of the Napoleon era.
Asprey is balanced in his portrait of Napoleon who was neither saint nor sinner but a tough, brilliant battlefield commander who worshipped at the shrine of power and egomania.I recommend this book and the second volume "The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte." Good reading!
Eminently Readable Napolean Biography.......2007-09-13
Robert Asprey has delivered an outstanding look at one of the world's greatest military minds and leaders.
Not focusing simply on Napolean's personal life, Asprey paints his character's life and actions against the canvas of then-current events, such as the French Revolution.
Asprey's literary style is efficient but entertaining, and he does not encumber the reader with military minutia -- an accomplishment considering his subject.
If you seek a biography to explain who Napolean was and what he did -- this is a great start.
Good Read.......2007-03-20
I am a high school senior who is planning to major in history in college I thought that it was a very engaging book even for my limited vocabulary and reading ability. It is truly an unbiased essay on Napoleon's life and adds an element I've never found before. Asprey shows what we are all missing out on when people write biased biographies. A must have if you want a book on Napoleon's life, military battles, and his destructive relationship with that (expletive) Josephine. Hope you guys like it.
An Inch Deep and a Mile Wide.......2007-01-13
All the major events are covered, but there is little or no analysis/detailed description of those events. If you have little or no previous knowledge of Napoleon, this book would leave you thinking that the battle of Austerlitz was really not a big deal at all.
Very disappointing read.
Great biography--for those already familiar with the subject.......2006-12-21
I did my usual speed-reading of the first 100 pages, then realized I didn't really understand a lot of things about who Napoleon was, what he was doing, or why. Figuring I'd managed to skip the relevant information I carefully re-read those pages. Still confused, I tried it again. No joy.
Examples: the Jacobin Club is mentioned. Robespierre is tossed about with abandon. Someone named Louis XXXVIII, and Marie Antoinette are mentioned. Etc, etc. I happily admit my ignorance. (I'm probably more familiar with his military strategy than the average person, but I play Napoleonic-era wargames.)
My knowledge of the French Revolution is limited to "Let them eat cake," beheadings with ze guillotine, and mass riots. While I didn't expect an expert-level education about the revolution from a book about Napoleon, I didn't realize it explains absolutely nothing about what was going on at the time.
If you're already familiar with Napoleon and the environment in late 18th-century Europe you will probably enjoy this work. If you aren't familar with either subject there are most certainly better biographies--though I don't believe any written in the last 10 years are worthwhile for any except the specialists.
Book Description
From a leading scholar of history and military policy, a monumental account and brilliant new analysis of the Napoleonic era in Europe and the revealing interaction of continental politics and war shaping our modern world
Perhaps no person in history has dominated his or her own era as much as Napoleon. Despite his small physical stature, the shadow of Napoleon is cast like a colossus, compelling all who would look at that epoch to chart their course by reference to him. For this reason, most historical accounts of the Napoleonic era-and there are many-tell the same Napoleon-dominated story over and over again, or focus narrowly on special aspects of it.
Frederick Kagan, distinguished historian and military policy expert, has tapped hitherto unused archival materials from Austria, Prussia, France, and Russia, to present the history of these years from the balanced perspective of all of the major players of Europe. In The End of the Old Order readers encounter the rulers, ministers, citizens, and subjects of Europe in all of their political and military activity-from the desk of the prime minister to the pen of the ambassador, from the map of the general to the rifle of the soldier. With clear and lively prose, Kagan guides the reader deftly through the intriguing and complex web of international politics and war.
The End of the Old Order is the first volume in a new and comprehensive four-volume study of Napoleon and Europe. Each volume in the series will surprise readers with a dramatically different tapestry of early nineteenth-century personalities and events and will revise fundamentally our ages-old understanding of the wars that created modern Europe.
Customer Reviews:
Simply Amazing.......2006-12-14
This book is an excellent start to a four part series (other three are unpublished at this time) that delivers pure diplomatic history. This is expert analysis of how the diplomatic machine of Europe brought about an end to stability and peace with the collapse of the old order. Napoleon's designs on Europe are clearly seen and this book takes you through Austerlitz and the start of the Napoleonic Empire. Although Napoleon declares himself Empire it is not truly established until Austerlitz leaving him in control of much of Europe. This book written in fantastic prose clearly outlines how Europe got to that stage. This is a must have for any Napoleonic library and I eagerly await the continuation of this series. Easily five stars and deserves more.
the end of the old order: Napoleon and Europe.......2006-11-10
I love this book very well written only took me 2 days to read it .
Diplomacy and War like Chess.......2006-10-14
In this volume(and the 3 that will follow) Kagan sets out to write a military/diplomatic history of the Napoleonic period.The first 200 pages give an overview of how the war of the First Coalition came about. Then there are some 100 pages devoted to the french and allied war plans and the rest of the book covers the war itself.This is a work of explanation and interpretation and the focus is on the diplomats and generals who made the important decisions.There is no spotlight on the idiosyncracies of individuals perse ,but only if it is important to explain some decision taken by that person. Likewise the descriptions of battles are explanatory. There is no blood and guts. All in all it is a bit like a game of chess and the best explanatory book i have read about Napoleonic Europe. The author, in contrast to most other books about this time, devotes an equal amount of space to the French and the Allies and is evenhanded in the condemnation or praise he bestows on the belligerents.It is simply not true as an other reviewer has it that this is the old Napoleon as Ogre story all over again.Knowing the author's very rightleaning political views i indeed started reading this book with some trepidation, but was pleasantly suprised that Kagan did'nt let those views cloud his judgement.Repeatedly Kagan stresses that it was'nt Napoleon who wanted this war but Tsar Alexander. Of course you can take exception with the author's interpretation of motives and events but that applies to every thesis. At least Kagan does't parrot every other author and his analysis is based on thorough archival investigation. This is not a book for the novice but if you want to know the ins and outs of Napoleonic Europe, have an analytical bend and value clear and uncluttered prose this is the book for you. Highly recommended. Hats of for Frederick Kagan and counting down to the next volume.
The Myth of the Corsican Ogre..........2006-10-06
This volume, while interesting in places, is neither brilliant nor monumental, except for its length.
What the author does do, however, is raise once again the old anti-Napoleonic propaganda from the period referring to Napoleon as a criminal, megalomaniac, tyrant, and generally repeating well-worn material of the old 'Corsican Ogre' school of thought. At the same time a completely inaccurate picture of Tsar Alexander is presented giving the patricidal monarch much more credit than he is due. This completely ignores accurate scholarship on Napoleon that has been completed since 1970.
Looking at the bibliography, it is evident what the inaccurate portrayal of Napoleon is based on. The only modern biography of Napoleon listed in the execrable volume by Alan Schom, which is fit only for a doorstop. None of the credible biogrpahies of Napoleon are referenced, such as the work of Englund, Cronin, or Ludwig. This is a shame, because presenting Napoleon inaccurately as a man and a head of state, colors the entire volume and makes it an unreliable resource.
The characterization of Napoleon in this volume is as inaccurate as the comparison presented on the organization of the Grande Armee and the allied armies. From 1800 onwards the corps d'armee was a permanent organization in the French service. That was not so with the allied armies, and equating the two systems in 1805 is incorrect. The allies lagged behind in tactics, organization, and staff organization and functioning in 1805 and didn't seriously start to reform until after the 1807 campaign.
The first danger signal in this volume is the overuse of the term 'myth.' What is evident in the volume is that a strawman has been created in order to make a point, which isn't in France's or Napoleon's favor. And the point(s) made is/are incorrect to a large degree. Much of the work in the volume on the diplomatic/political maneuverings from 1801-1805 is very good, but the military aspect is poor. Frankly, the author contradicts himself often regarding Napoleon's performance and motives.
What is entirely neglected that it wasn't merely France and Napoleon that were aggressive empires, but the same holds true for Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Looking at the results of the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815 is a very good example. While Tsar Alexander is painted as a monarch who was working for the peace of Europe, what is neglected is that he waged wars against Turkey and in the Baltic during the period that were anything but peaceful and defensive. And while excuses are given for Alexander regarding the murder of his father, Napoleon is taken to task for the trial and execution of the Duc d'Enghien and what is neglected completely is the assassination attempt against Napoleon early in the Consulate when the bomb just missed destroying his carriage on the way to the opera in December 1800. That was at least financed by the British and was openly supported by the Bourbons. Finally the influence that British merchants might have had in the assassination of Tsar Paul, Alexander's father isn't mentioned.
In the book's introduction the author has stated that seven years were devoted to the research and writing of this volume. It was not time well-spent.
In short, this volume is a disappointment and in this reviewer's opinion does not add to the literature of the period. The analogies used regarding World War II and recent US operations in the Middle East to not enhance the volume and apparently the author doesn't understand either Napoleon's command system or the purpose and operation of the corps d'armee system implemented by Napoleon in 1800.
This volume is a great opportunity missed and this book is not recommended as a source. Frederick Schneid's Napoleon's Conquest of Europe: The War of the Third Coalition is a much better work, concise, accurate, and better written.
An interesting thesis.......2006-09-06
According to Frederick Kagan it was the mistakes made by European nations and not Napoleon's brilliance that lead to France dominating Europe in the first decade of the nineteenth century. First according to Kagan distrust among Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia made them form an alliance too late, and in Prussia's case to opt out until the very last moment. Kagan is especially critical of Tsar Alexander I for alienating potential allies by his overly idealistic version of postwar Europe in which both Prussia and Austria would have diminished power in exchange for greater influence of the smaller states in Central Europe. Kagan is also critical of the Austrian leadership for putting too many soldiers in Italy instead of Germany and at General Mack for not retreating from his overextended forces from Ulm. Also Archduke Charles failed to move sufficient forces from Italy to help Mack in Germany. Kagan is especially harsh on Tsar Alexander I for overextending his forces in Italy, around Prussia, and the Balkans, while failing to concentrate them in southern Germany in order to cooperate better with the Austrians. Finally Tsar Alexander I ordered Kutuzov to on the offensive prematurely before the disasterous Austro-Russian defeat at Austerlitz. Although I strongly disagree with Frederick Kagan's personal politics, he does write excellent military history.
Book Description
Napoleon: From a hero to a zero
- Illuminates Napoleon's personality and policies.
- Traces Napoleon's imperial ambitions.
- Distinguishes the real legacy of the Empire from legend.
Napoleon completely dominated his age. At the height of his power his empire stretched across Europe from Portugal to Russia and from Scandinavia to Italy. Yet his fall from power was dramatic and he died in exile on St Helena. This interesting account provides an excellent introduction to the nature and mechanics of Napoleon's power, and how he used it. It explores Napoleon's rise to fame as a soldier of the French Revolution and his aims and achievements, as first consul and emperor during the years 1799-1815. Focusing on the nature of Napoleon's power, this compelling account examines Napoleon's personality and policies, looks at the nature and aims of Napoleonic imperialism, traces the development of his imperial ambitions throughout his career, looks at the relentless elaboration of his own power during the passage from Consular to Imperial rule. Napoleon distinguishes the real legacy of the Empire from the legend. Napoleon will richly reward and Napoleonic enthusiast fascinated by the man and the myth. In the Profiles in Power series, Napoleon is not a biography, though inevitably it contains much biographical material, it instead analyzes the major features, achievements and failures of Napoleon's career.
Customer Reviews:
Fine Little Book On Napoleon's Impact on European History.......2002-11-24
This slender tome is an elegant overview of Napoleon's political and cultural impact on 19th Century Europe. It is not a political or cultural biography of Napoleon, but instead, a collection of essays which addresses Napoleon's roles as a soldier, statesman and patron of the arts during the first French Republic and first French Empire (1792-1815). Ellis demonstrates Napoleon's acquisition and retention of power during the first half of the book. He closes with several fine essays which show how Napoleon's power was depicted artistically and what - if any - was Napoleon's legacy to France and to Europe. This is unquestionably a book of interest to those familiar with Napoleon's career, early 19th Century European history, or both.
A good book for the initiated........1999-01-10
This is my first book on Napoleon, though not my first book on French history. Ellis' book has many good insights and seems to me well-written. He arranged his book according to themes, rather than on a timeline. This is difficult, however, for the beginner, as a basic knowledge of Napoleonic history is assumed. At the end of his book, Ellis recommends Felix Markham's "Napoleon" as a good introductory work, and I will take his advice, then perhaps reread Ellis, as I think it deserves to be read with the details of Napleon's history already in the readers mind.
Book Description
In this vivid and timely history, Juan Cole tells the story of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Revealing the young general's reasons for leading the expedition against Egypt in 1798 and showcasing his fascinating views of the Orient, Cole delves into the psychology of the military titan and his entourage. He paints a multi-faceted portrait of the daily travails of the soldiers in Napoleon's army, including how they imagined Egypt, how their expectations differed from what they found, and how they grappled with military challenges in a foreign land. Cole ultimately reveals how Napoleon's invasion, the first modern attempt to invade the Arab world, invented and crystallized the rhetoric of liberal imperialism.
You can visit Juan Cole's Blog, Informed Comment at http://www.juancole.com/
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2007-10-14
Being a fan of Juan Cole's columns on Middle East politics and of Napoleonic history I looked forward to this book. I must say I was quite disappointed. I found it dense, boring, difficult to read, full of uninteresting details and with a distorted image of Napoleon. Invading the Middle East was not simply an imperialist exercise. It was part of a strategy to cut off England from its growing Indian Empire. Cole is at its best when he covers what he knows best: the history of the Middle East. But in my modest view he has failed to tell a compelling account of Napoleon's ill-fated adventure in Egypt. For those interested in the subject I recommend Christopher Herold's "Bonaparte in Egypt," which was written almost fifty years ago.
Outstanding middle east history. . ........2007-09-24
Juan Cole is a true American treasure. Mr. Cole's outstanding analyses of American bungling during the Bush administration's farcical "War on Terror" should be required reading for the citizenry. This latest tome by Mr. Cole highlights the earlier (late 18th century) bungling by another megalomaniac--albeit a brilliant military tactician, Napoleon Bonaparte--when he tried to force Egypt to submit to his arrogant will. As in 21st century Iraq, the bravado of insurgency destroyed the imperial dream of France, and should have taught us a lesson for all time. But, alas, as Henry Ford once stated: "history is bunk". Unfortunately, Mr. Ford's words continue to haunt this nation whose present leader is determined to render history as obsolete and worthy of only a naif's attention, while he jousts with Gog and Magog (see Ezekiel in the O.T.). Thank you professor. Hopefully, more than a handful of Americans will study your valuable insight into Mideast folly, today and yesterday.
Napoleon's Egypt or Egypt's Napoleon?.......2007-09-23
Both a military and a cultural history, and for good reason. After Napoleon's infantry squares and artillery techniques prove absolutely lethal to fast and courageous Ottoman cavalry, the war becomes an occupation, and the occupation will not be decided by military might alone. It is a joy to watch the gifted and ruthless Napoleon gamely struggling to master occupation politics in a cultural setting of which he has only the dimmest grasp, and to watch his opponents outwit him using time-tested strategies of resistance while making up a few of their own.
Unforgettable moments range from the ridiculous to the macabre. Napoleon lets word get out that he might convert to Islam and bring his army with him, in an attempt to curry favor among Muslim clerics, but his army quickly nixes the idea, as the French were unwilling to endure circumcision and give up wine. French officers discover the pleasures and perils of harems. And in a remote desert fortification, one third of Napoleon's soldiers contract a local disease that causes their eyelids to flip inside out and they go blind. An attack comes, and the blind soldiers are pushed to the front by their comrades and told not to fire until the enemy closes to 75 yards.
Juan Cole is a mideast expert and knows Arabic, so he well understands the Egyptian context and can show how locals perceived the French as well as the reverse. He enjoys the occasional victories of the Egyptian underdogs while at the same time retaining empathy for the French as they try to adapt to what becomes a terrible predicament.
Napoleon's Egypt.......2007-09-18
I learned about this book during my customary morning reading of Professor Cole's authoritative blog, Informed Comment. Reading a few excerpts left no doubt in my mind that I should read the entire opus. Good decision. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this erudite well written, detailed and splendidly researched book. The parallels of Bonaparte's ill fated invasion of Egypt and our current disaster in Iraq are remarkable. I rank my books according to how often I highlight quotable passages. My copy of Napoleon's Egypt, pregnant with yellow hi-liter coated passages, attests to my approval of this tome and to my enthusiastic recommendation to anyone interested in learning a great lesson about an earlier tragic Middle East misadventure.
The French Connection to Egypt.......2007-09-16
Napoleon's ill-fated invasion of Egypt is presented here in a style that wavers between a conventional military narrative (often repetitive and boring) and a cultural/social description (sometimes interesting). Strangely, given the book's title, Napoleon himself does not come alive in this book, but effectively is left dry and distant.
Readers should know Dr. Cole tilts toward the Islamic world in his weighing of all things in this long ago encounter between the new France and the ancient Middle East.
Book Description
The age of Napoleon transformed Europe, laying the foundations for the modern world. Now Alistair Horne, one of the great chroniclers of French history gives us a fresh account of that remarkable time.
Born into poverty on the remote island of Corsica, he rose to prominence in the turbulent years following the French Revolution, when most of Europe was arrayed against France. Through a string of brilliant and improbable victories (gained as much through his remarkable ability to inspire his troops as through his military genius), Napoleon brought about a triumphant peace that made him the idol of France and, later, its absolute ruler.
Heir to the Revolution, Napoleon himself was not a revolutionary; rather he was a reformer and a modernizer, both liberator and autocrat. Looking to the Napoleonic wars that raged on the one hand, and to the new social order emerging on the other, Horne incisively guides readers through every aspect of Napoleon’s two-decade rule: from France’s newfound commitment to an aristocracy based on merit rather than inheritance, to its civil code (Napoleon’s most important and enduring legacy), to censorship, cuisine, the texture of daily life in Paris, and the influence of Napoleon abroad. At the center of Horne’s story is a singular man, one whose ambition, willpower, energy and ability to command changed history, and continues to fascinate us today.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Digest of Napoleon's Influence on France.......2006-12-15
Horne's pithy little book is certainly not a good introduction to Napoleon the man, general, or emperor, nor a comprehensive history text on France. It is, however, a valuable collection of his most lasting and significant policies, ambitions, whims, excesses, successes, and failures.
Horne writes with the facile hand of an expert in his element, yet this book will certainly prove most valuable to the casual rather than novice or advanced scholar of Napoleonic France. It covers his rise to fame, deceptively humble power-grab, impressive reformist tendencies and initiatives, his staid morality contrasting personal hypocrisy, as well as Napoleon's creation of a new and (at least in theory) merit-based aristocracy, as well as the advent of modern French culture. Colorful episodes featuring his beloved Josephine as well as other flames and vixens are recounted.
This will be a nice addition to a Francophile shelf, but only a sketchy entry text for the curious.
A summary of Napoleon and his accomplishments at home........2004-09-27
For those seeking a biography of the man or his military accomplishments, this book does not fit the bill. Horne focuses on the political, economic, artistic, and scientific accomplishments of Napoleon and the Napoleonic Regime. So this book focuses on an area not covered by most authors. Since Napoleon is a topic that many authors have attempted, Horne focuses on an area not usually written about. Napoleon changed a lot in France, and Horne outlines both his accomplishments (Code of Napoleon for law, and scientific research) and his failures (theater, opera, and literature).
This is not an easy read, despite its brevity. It is a read that will enlighten a Napoleonic historian. However, the subjects and concepts are more difficult to understand than the
military victories.
almost conversational, yet scholarly, riveting and humorous.......2004-08-31
Engaging and informative, Horne manages to present his vast knowledge of Napoleon and his age in an almost conversational tone that-while full of rich historical detail-manages to be scholarly, riveting and often quite humorous. For example, in addition to learn about the numerous ways Napoleon's two decade rule transformed Europe, we learn that his wife and Empress Josephine's wardrobe contained 666 winter dresses, 230 summer ones and only two pair of knickers. If one wishes for a direct introduction to Napoleon and his influence, The Age of Napoleon is an excellent place to start.
Nice Addition to Horne's Seven Ages of Paris.......2004-05-27
This newest addition to the Modern Library Chronicles series is not a history of Napoleon but a snapshot into this time in France, although by his very nature the man defines the times. For a short biography of Napoleon, take a look at Paul Johnson's slim volume and for a fuller context of Parisian history read Alistair Horne's The Seven Ages of Paris. This book, the Age of Napoleon, is Alistair Horne's examination of one of those particular ages and the man at the centre of it. The book is arranged by topics as opposed to a chronological history so basic familiarty with European history will be an advantage. The author also repeats himself, at times, as the story moves back and forth. But this book will give the reader an idea of these tumultous times and either lead them to further reading about Napoleon the man or work as a refresher to a previously read biography.
Not an enjoyable read.......2004-05-23
I don't recommend this book unless you're already familiar with the entire history of Napoleon. It's filled with vague references, assumes the reader lives in the writer's world with the references he doesn't explain, and uses many French sentences without any translation.
I bought this small book, hoping it would be a quick, interesting read. I found it was neither.
On the other hand, if you enjoy French arrogance, you might enjoy working through this book.
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