The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.

Amazon.com

Since completing high school history, few of us have managed to keep straight the details of the French Revolution. Beyond suggestions of eating cake and the effectiveness of the guillotine, this sordid time period has remained--for many--somewhat obscure. Now, through the novel The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., not only do we learn of the many differences between Robespierre and Rousseau, but we gain insight into the marriage of one of history's greatest political couples: Napoleon and Josephine.

Standing beside the charismatic Napoleon, Josephine's own importance and fascinating history have often been overshadowed. In a fictionalized account of Josephine's diaries and her correspondence, author Sandra Gulland has shed light on Josephine's pre-Napoleon life. This, the first of three books about Josephine, covers her childhood in Martinique, her first marriage, the birth of her children, her life during the revolution, and her marriage to Napoleon.

A poor Creole outsider as well as a rising socialite, Josephine experienced both the horrors of imprisonment and the privilege of connections. Utilizing these different perspectives, Gulland takes special care to bring forth the reality of life in late 18th-century France. Though she can only theorize on Josephine's emotions and desires, Gulland's talented writing and the restrained use of footnotes keep the reader properly informed on pertinent details, whether they be obscure political events or voodoo beliefs. While professional historians may bristle at the artistic license Gulland employs, most readers will find her novel a satisfying and engaging introduction to this dramatic period. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Book Description

In this first of three books inspired by the life of Josephine Bonaparte, Sandra Gulland has created a novel of immense and magical proportions. We meet Josephine in the exotic and lush Martinico, where an old island woman predicts that one day she will be queen. The journey from the remote village of her birth to the height of European elegance is long, but Josephine's fortune proves to be true. By way of fictionalized diary entries, we traverse her early years as she marries her one true love, bears his children, and is left betrayed, widowed, and penniless. It is Josephine's extraordinary charm, cunning, and will to survive that catapults her to the heart of society, where she meets Napoleon, whose destiny will prove to be irrevocably intertwined with hers.

Customer Reviews:

Speechless.......2007-06-27

I just finished reading the trilogy (took four days and I have been working too) and I am amazed at how incredible these books were. The history is incredible and told in a way that makes you feel that you are there. I laughed, I cried and now I feel empty. I will miss Josephine.

Excellent Read!.......2007-01-08

I couldn't put this book down. It is filled with so much history during Jospehine Bounaparte's earlier years up to when she meets Napolean. I am not sure how this woman survived all that she lived thru in this book. It is some very good reading.

Incredible Story Written with Heart.......2006-12-21

Let me just say that I am not normally a fan of historical fiction based on a singular character. When I received this book as a gift, I was a bit nervous about reading it. However, Ms. Gulland's talent and gift for storytelling has changed my opinion. I started out expecting not to like it - I ended up loving it.

Josephine's story is a compelling tale of a young Creole girl who eventually becomes queen. But it's more than that - it's a story of a woman caught in a loveless marriage, in impossible situations and how she managed through her own strength of character to rise above her tribulations. Ms. Gulland made me forget that I was reading fiction. She also made me love the intimacy of this story. Thank you!

Finely Drawn Portrait.......2006-09-02

I'm not sure how Gulland does it, but her dialogue, journal entries, and letters let us get to know Josephine and keep the pages turning. An artful solution to the challenge of setting place, voice and character.

A great read for those who like historical novels and/or French culture...

Possibly addictive, I had to read the next 2 books in the series after finishing "Lives and Sorrows."

Fabulous.......2006-06-29

This is the way all historical fiction should be read. It was fun to read and great to see the life and times from a woman's perspective. Josephine is so real and you cry for her to find the joy she deserves. Fabulous read, I am on the third of the series now. BUY ALL THREE!!

Average customer rating:

A Sumptous, Beautifully Crafted Visual Guide to Naploen
A good pictorial book, no more
Vive L'Empereur!!!! Vive La France!!!!

Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor
Gerard Gengembre , Pierre-Jean Chalencon , and David Chanteranne
Manufacturer: Vendome Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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How to Make War
Napoleon: A Political Life
The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life
The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

ASIN: 0865652333

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!.....

Average customer rating:

The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte is a good general history of the reign of the little coroporal from Corsica
Eminently Readable Napolean Bio - Part II
Part 2 of an excellent biography
napoleon book bombs
Flawed

The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte
Robert B. Asprey
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
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ASIN: 0465004822
Release Date: 2002-10-15

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.

Book Description

"An intensely interesting book." --Spectator Scipio Africanus (236183 b.c.) was one of the most exciting and dynamic leaders in history. As commander, he never lost a battle. Yet it is his adversary, Hannibal, who has lived on in public memory.

As B.H. Liddell Hart writes, "Scipio's battles are richer in stratagems and ruses--many still feasible today--than those of any other commander in history." Any military enthusiast or historian will find this to be an absorbing, gripping portrait.

Customer Reviews:

A Great General Gets His Due.......2006-10-31

We've all heard of Hannibal and of the man who finally defeated the invader of Rome (on his own turf). But who does history remember? It certainly isn't the victorious general who *NEVER* lost a battle. While Hannibal might not have lost a battle until Zama, he simply wasn't able to finish the Romans off. This was simply due to the fact he wasn't equal to Scipio when it came to siege warfare. The author finally gives Scipio a book worthy to his name. What struck me the most about Scipio was the way he was treated by politicians back in Rome. One would think that the Senate would have done everything possible to ensure that Scipio was victorious and save Rome. However petty rivalries and jealousy were yet other obstacles to be overcome. History repeating itself. The man himself was not only a brilliant general but a very humble man who always put the republic needs above his own. Even though in the end he died in exile, on charges of bribery bought about by his enemies. Rome later cleared his name but the man who saved them from Hannibal, brought Spain, Carthage, Numidia, Sicily and Greece into the empire was treated no better than a common thief. History does indeed repeat itself.

Innovative Commander........2006-04-09

First, the authors initial premise that the victor does not always get the credit is sadly true. Which dispells many myths revisionists have been spewing for decades. Aspiring leaders could learn much from this and the authors other books. Here he has created a great story outlining the exploits of one of the worlds most underated generals. Dare I say hardly known? Chapters 10 and 11 is where the true nature of the subject comes to life. In three dynamic years he crushed Carthaginian Spain, then launched his daring attack on Carthage. He details how Scipio's depth of thinking was far beyond most one-dimensional doctrines of his day. Without him Rome and the European Civilization that we so often take for granted, may have ended as part of a huge North African Empire. We owe the subject and the author a debt of gratitude.

Excellent and Interest premise for book.......2005-09-29

The author starts off with an interesting premise - that the victor doesn't always get the credit due his achievements. He mentions Hannibal's fame over his superior on the battlefield - Scipio. Other examples are Wellington over Napoleon and Grant over Lee.
A very interesting biography overall with a concentration on his wartime accomplishments, this book is a good read for those interested in military history and the politic intrigue that plague successful military leaders. Recommended reading!

Great work.......2005-02-25

I do not give 5 star ratings on much of anything that I review, this was an exception. I had barely heard of this great general before and now I know much more about him. That is what a historical book should do, but this one was also a joy to read and went too fast. For every statement about Scipio there is explination and justification. I'm sure he was a much more complicated man than even this book can go into, more's the pity, but a great general he was....possibly the greatest.
A must buy to the military reader and should be required reading for not only historians, and soldiers, but heads of state as well.

Greater Than Napoleon!.......2004-09-04

"So general is the recognition of Hannibal's genius in this battle art that he is commonly termed the supreme tactician of history. Yet in ruse and strategem the record of Scipio's battles is even richer (p.253)."

Author Basil H. Liddell Hart has created a wonderful story outlining the history and exploits of possibly the greatest general of any military force, Scipio Africanus.

Publius Cornelius Scipio was born in Rome in 235 B.C.; his first recorded taste of warfare was at the battle of the Ticinus, where Hannibal first clashed with the Romans after his famous passage through the Alps with his elephants, and in which Scipio's father was the commander. Here the 17 year old Scipio saved his father's life, and only two years later, the year of the Romans' disastrous defeat at Cannae, he was already the equivalent of a Colonel. In 210 B.C. the dynamic and charasmatic young Scipio was put in supreme command; Ticinus and Cannae were the only scenes of failure Scipio witnessed, for in command he never lost a battle. In three years he destroyed Carthaginian power in Spain and on his return to Italy pressed for a direct attack on Carthage. Made consul, he took his forces to Africa where he destroyed the forces of Carthage's great ally, Syphax. Two years later he clashed with Hannibal himself, annihilating his army in the decisive battle of Zama. For his triumph of arms, which finally broke Carthaginian power, he was awarded the title of "Africanus."

At 280 pages, this text is very entertaining and easy to read and understand. Without footnotes and only a short bibliography, the book is still a watershed of ancient military insight from the military historian master himself, B.H. Liddell Hart. I rate this text as five stars! Superb!

A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of Napoleon Hill

Average customer rating:

Very enjoyable read
PIONEER OF SUCCESS
N. Hill was human too....
A needed book but disappointing
A needed book but disappointing

A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of Napoleon Hill
Michael J. Ritt , and Kirk Landers
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Success System That Never Fails
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Selling You!
The Attractor Factor: 5 Easy Steps for Creating Wealth (or Anything Else) from the Inside Out

ASIN: 0525940014

Book Description

Napoleon Hill's inspirational classic, Think and Grow Rich, has been a bestseller since its original publication more than fifty years ago. But there has never before been a biography of this influential thinker.Hill was born in poverty in rural Virginia. A troublemaker, he seemed destined for a bad end until his stepmother took him in hand, gave him a typewriter and encouraged him to write. With a passion born of the desire for success, he worked his way through law school and embarked on a career as a business journalist. In a 1908 interview with Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate challenged the young Hill to codify the rules of achievement that had made America so strong. Hill accepted, and his great work began.Over the next twenty years he interviewed successful people from all walks of life, finally distilling his discoveries into Think and Grow Rich. But along the way there were plenty of hardships and hard lessons, setbacks that Hill acknowledged came from his own failings. It is this biography's frank discussion of Hill's private life and his personal struggles that make it so inspiring and useful for any fan of Napoleon Hill. The lessons that Hill taught to others were often lessons he had learned himself, and his eventual triumph is the perfect testament to the power of his conviction:"WHAT THE MIND OF MAN CAN CONCEIVE, IT CAN ACHIEVE."

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable read.......2007-05-18

I couldn't put the book down. Mr. Hill sure had a "roller coaster" of life, like so many of us experience. Think and Grow Rich is a classic and very well may of helped more people to financial success than any other book ever written. I have read and apllied it to my life. His persistence and focus on achieving his goals will have a major impact on the reader. The author did a wonderful job of sharing a lot of knowledge about Mr. Hill's life that completely blew me away.

PIONEER OF SUCCESS.......2002-12-30

When I first saw this book on the shelf I didn't hesitate to purchase it. I was an avid reader of Napoleon Hill's books and was always curious about his life. That curiousity has been somewhat satisfied by reading this biography of him written the executive director of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

A Lifetime of Riches chronicles the roller coaster life of one of the pioneers of success programs. Born of modest circumstances Napoleon Hill rose to become one of the greatest promoters of personal and material success. His rise to fame didn't come easy. In fact he would fail many times but would get right up again for another try.

His tenaciousness, vision and audacity to try new ideas are the hallmarks of a personality that wouldn't accept defeat. Authors Michael Ritt and Kirk Landers provide the reader with a view of a man who had both his faults and weaknesses. Hill is obsessed with his mission for success and unfortunately placed everything else (including his wife and children) as third or fourth place. He paid for that mistake but still was able to bounce back in his later life.

I certainly enjoyed this book for its realistic portrayal of Hill (he was both saint and sinner) in both his good times and bad times. From his life the reader can learn it is never to late to start over regardless of age ( this was true of Hill and his father), financial setbacks or other impediments. Hill's life sets the standard for success even if it appears to allude you in time it will come.

A Lifetime of Riches is a good book to get some idea of Hill's life but it is not very detailed. Much of its information comes from Hill's unpublished "autobiography". Absent are any interviews or insight from those who worked with him. Very little is mentioned about his estrangement with his father and brothers or his importance in history as part of the motivational industry that is now a thriving industry. Perhaps someday more details will be given but for now enjoy this work of one of life's greatest motivators.

N. Hill was human too...........2000-07-04

Having been a student of Napoleon Hill for many years I find Hill's own writing both brilliant, and inspirational.

Through this book I have come to learn Hill is human too, he had to learn some of his lessons the hard way. While the book lacks the brilliant motivational style of Hills own writing, we must remember that it is a biography. I question that Napoleon Hill could have been quite as honest about his life and some of its tragedies if he had written the book himself.

A Lifetime Of Riches provides good insight to the life of the man who has been such an inspiration to so many people, myself included. It offers a chronological view of the life of Hill. Granted, some of the detail of Hill's actual formulation of the success philosophy is missing. Still, the book reminds us that we strive for progress not perfection. If we fall down we must get back up.

My thanks to Mr Ritt, Mr Landers, and The Napoleon Hill Foundation for giving me the opportunity to have a greater understanding of Napoleon Hill.

A needed book but disappointing.......1999-07-16

Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" may be the best self-help book ever written. So many of his readers will be glad to have any biography about him, even though this first one came 25 years after his death. I commend the authors for not whitewashing Hill, but there is so much missing. A major reason T&GR has become a classic is its underlying spiritual outlook. When Hill was a young man New Thought was blooming in America and he must have been influenced by such books as "In Tune With the Infinite." There is virtually no mention of Hill's spiritual development in the book. Hill commented constantly on how Andrew Carnegie gave him a 20-year commission to study and interview successful people, that Carnegie would provide letters of introduction to Hill and pay his travel expenses. If this is so, there must be at least one letter of introduction filed away somewhere. The authors quote none. Suppose Hill made that up. I don't think it cancels the value of his great book but it sure belongs in a biography. Finally, there is so little readily available about Hill, why not provide a bibliography of the magazines, newspapers and books where the best interviews and comments on Hill's work exist. Still, I recommend this book as valuable and interesting because there is nothing else.

A needed book but disappointing.......1999-07-12

Hill's "Think & Grow Rich" may be the best self-help book ever written. So many of his readers will be glad to have any biography about him, even though this first one came 25 years after his death. I commend the authors for not whitewashing Hill, but there is so much missing. A major reason T&GR has become an enduring classic is the underlying spiritual outlook. When Hill was a young man New Thought was blooming in America and he must have been influenced by such books as "In Tune With the Infinite." There is virtually no mention of Hill's spiritual development in the book. Secondly, Hill commented ad nauseum how Andrew Carnegie gave him a 20-year commission to study and interview successful peoople, that Carnegie would provide letters of introduction to Hill and pay his travel expenses. If this was so there must be a letter of introduction somewhere, somplace filed away. The authors quote none. Suppose Hill made that up. I don't think it cancels the value of his book, but it sure belongs in a biography. Finally, since there is so little readily accessible about Hill why not provide a bibliography of the books, magazines and newspapers where the best interviews and comments on his work exist. Still, I recommend this book because there is nothing else.

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

The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
Robert Asprey
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte
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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.

The End of the Old Order: Napoleon And Europe, 1801-1805 (Napoleon and Europe)

Average customer rating:

Simply Amazing
the end of the old order: Napoleon and Europe
Diplomacy and War like Chess
The Myth of the Corsican Ogre...
An interesting thesis

The End of the Old Order: Napoleon And Europe, 1801-1805 (Napoleon and Europe)
Frederick W. Kagan
Manufacturer: Perseus Books Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0306811375

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.

Average customer rating:

Fine Little Book On Napoleon's Impact on European History
A good book for the initiated.

Napoleon (Profiles in Power)
Geoffrey Ellis
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0582437520

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.

Average customer rating:

Readable, but one-sided
Pretty good, but not perfect
Readable, despite flaws...
Garbage
200 years and still controversal

Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life
Alan Schom
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte
How to Make War
The Days of the French Revolution
Napoleon: A Political Life

ASIN: 0060929588
Release Date: 1998-08-26

Amazon.com

You won't come away from this energetic biography thinking much of the French emperor either as a man or as a general. Historian Alan Schom depicts Napoleon (1769-1821) as a cold-hearted manipulator: Schom's blistering accounts of the 1798-99 Egyptian campaign and the disastrous 1812 retreat from Russia show the French army decimated due to its leader's failure to inform himself about the lands he was invading or to properly plan for provisioning his troops. The fun of this book comes from vigorous prose that vividly evokes Bonaparte's titanic personality and the colorful band of schemers surrounding him.

Book Description

A definitive biography of Bonaparte from his birth in Corsica to his death in exile on St Helena, this book examines all aspects of Bonaparte's spectacular rise to power and his dizzying fall. It offers close examination of battlefield victories, personal torments, military genius, Bonaparte's titanic ego and his relationships with the French government, Talleyrand, Wellington and Josephine. A consummate biography of a complex man.

Customer Reviews:

Readable, but one-sided.......2007-07-18

This is a very readable book, for which I give the author, Schom, some credit. His writing style is somewhat crude but he advances the narrative at a brisk pace, which keeps the reader interested. I managed to read all 800 pages in three weeks.

However, I ultimately came away disappointed. This is about a man for whom huge numbers of people - French and otherwise - were strongly attached to and willing to die for, yet reading this you'd be hard-pressed to understand why. The author, despite his claims of attempting to write as objective a biography as possible, clearly dislikes his subject and portrays him in an extremely harsh light. Some of his criticisms are quite legitimate and should not be glossed over, but others are downright misleading. For instance, Schom repeatedly argues that Napoleon's wars were all of his own making (the words "pointless" and "useless" get used a lot), yet in many cases he went to war only after an act of belligerence on the part of another country. Schom makes a big deal of peace offerings made to Napoleon that he passed up - especially one offered by Britain in 1806 - overlooking the fact that France had signed a number of such treaties since the mid-1790s, only to face war against the same country within a few years. Schom seems to regard all peace initiatives made by France as false and nothing more than respites from fighting, when the same could almost certainly be said of his rivals' initiatives.

Schom also largely glosses over Napoleon's civil accomplishments, both domestic and foreign. Schom flatly states that he undid everything the Revolution accomplished, ignoring the fact that Napoleon upheld the principle of equality before the law and the tax collector - revolutionary ideas for his day - and granted complete freedom of religion for Protestants and Jews. His Civil Code - which still forms the basis of many countries' legal systems - is hardly mentioned at all. And that he abolished serfdom and instituted freedom of religion in his conquered territories is not mentioned. This is disappointing, especially when Schom emphasizes time and again the harsher aspects of his civil rule (mainly taxation and conscription). That all of his enemies, with the possible exception of Britain, were considerably more reactionary politically is not mentioned, either.

In short, this is a legitimately interesting book to read (my only complaint from that standpoint is that the maps could be better), but the author's harsh opinions about his subject cause him to omit important information that would provide the reader with a more balanced view.

Pretty good, but not perfect.......2007-06-17

A very negative view of Napoleon, however possibly the most accurate. Though the author continues to consider Napoleon as a military genius, he focuses on failures such as Egypt, the English Channel, Russia, and Waterloo. Clearly the accounts of Field Marshall Davout success despite being severely outnumbered subtract from Napoleon's brilliance. It would of been a grand addition for a chapter on him as their was on Fouche.
Most opposed to this account of Napoleon do not wish to acknowledge that he was bad enough to: have Europe align against him, his warmongering, his manipulation(his coup d'etat alone shows manipulation), a crushed European economy, etc.
In many ways this book can be seen as overly negative, but i can imagine it only counteracts all the overly positive accounts of his life. Perhaps this book with one of the more positive accounts of Napoleons life would give you the most precise understanding possible of Napoleon, a real man, not a mythical hero, legend, or tyrant.
For those who believe Schom is simply out to get Napoleon/France, the Germanic name would lead me to believe he's already been satisfied twice over.

Readable, despite flaws..........2007-05-16

I am not student enough of Napoleon Bonaparte to determine whether Schom's biography was "overly" negative. Thus, to comment on this unexpected controversy, as others have done, would be improper. Suffice it to say that the book is largely readable if lacking the excitement one would expect from such a life. It hovers just above average in it's ability to generate page-turning momentum.

Where the book falters most blatantly is in the maps Schom chose to accompany his battlefied narratives. These maps show no troop movements whatsoever and in many instances show no troop locations either. Napoleon's military genius (or extraordinary luck, according to Schom) is constantly referred to, therefore it is more than annoying that no one thought to strategically plot Austerlitz, Smolensk, Leipzig, or even Waterloo cartographically. It *is* Napoleon, for crying out loud.

Bonaparte's civil and military subordinates receive ample space as do the various loves of his life. Josephine is portrayed somewhat less flatteringly than posterity would generally admit. Indeed, no one on the side of empire is given so much as a kudo outside the invincible Marshal Davout. But, then, world domination rarely has it's retrospective proponents.

I enjoyed the book though I pecked at it occasionally as, in places, it became something of a chore. The knowledge gleaned was a definite plus, but, for reasons acknowledged, I would be hard-pressed to rate Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life anything above 3 stars.

Garbage.......2007-01-09

This book is garbage the author really seems to hate Napoleon, and think all his genius was luck, everything about the bonapartes is evil according to this author. I'd pay more for paper towels than this book

200 years and still controversal.......2006-12-22

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think it was a good read, but very anti-Bonaparte. It is a measure of this man that he can spark such angry commentaries almost 200 years after his death.
The contrast between this book and earlier efforts such as "Anatomy of Glory" and "The Campaigns of Napoleon" is quite striking.
I would not read this book in isolation, but as a counter-balance to other more pro-Napoleon biographies.
Bonaparte was far too complicated a man and ruler to be simplistically portrayed as either all bad or all good.

The Age of Napoleon (Modern Library Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Nice Digest of Napoleon's Influence on France
A summary of Napoleon and his accomplishments at home.
almost conversational, yet scholarly, riveting and humorous
Nice Addition to Horne's Seven Ages of Paris
Not an enjoyable read

The Age of Napoleon (Modern Library Chronicles)
Alistair Horne
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679642633
Release Date: 2004-04-27

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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