Synopses & Reviews
In this second volume of Philip Dwyerand#8217;s authoritative biography on one of historyand#8217;s most enthralling leaders, Napoleon, now 30, takes his position as head of the French state after the 1799 coup. Dwyer explores the young leaderand#8217;s reign, complete with mistakes, wrong turns, and pitfalls, and reveals the great lengths to which Napoleon goes in the effort to fashion his image as legitimate and patriarchal ruler of the new nation. Concealing his defeats, exaggerating his victories, never hesitating to blame others for his own failings, Napoleon is ruthless in his ambition for power. and#160; Following Napoleon from Paris to his successful campaigns in Italy and Austria, to the disastrous invasion of Russia, and finally to the war against the Sixth Coalition that would end his reign in Europe, the book looks not only at these events but at the character of the man behind them. Dwyer reveals Napoleonand#8217;s darker sidesand#151;his brooding obsessions and propensity for violenceand#151;as well as his passionate nature: his loves, his ability to inspire, and his capacity for realizing his visionary ideas. In an insightful analysis of Napoleon as one of the first truly modern politicians, the author discusses how the persuasive and forward-thinking leader skillfully fashioned the image of himself that persists in legends that surround him to this day.
Review
and#8220;. . . more than just a canter across familiar terrainand#8230;an attractive addition to the literature on one of the most controversial figures in modern European historyand#8221;and#8212;Thomas Munch-Petersen,
BBC History MagazineReview
"An excellent history and a very good read."and#8212;John Merriman, New York Sunandnbsp;
Review
"For readers interested in the French Revolution, Dwyer's biography possesses attractive narrative fluidity and long-term library value as a research source."and#8212;Booklist
Review
and#8220;Remarkable . . . .andnbsp;Even-handed and authoritative, this fascinating and highly enjoyable book will be an eye opener even to those who think they know the subject welland#8221;and#8212;Adam Zamoyski,
Sunday Times of LondonReview
"Philip Dwyer's scrupulously researched new biography Napoleon. . . reveals the very familiar and unromantic processes by which [Napoleon's] power was acquired, or rather taken, from a public seduced by myths and romantic fictions."and#8212;David Walton, Dallas Morning News
Review
"[W]ell-written and thoughtfully argued. . . . one recommended to those interested in . . . Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Revolution. It should also be of great interest to political scientists studying the blend of the political and military arenas personified in one man."and#8212;Colonel James P. Herson, Jr., Parameters: U.S. Army War College Quarterly
Review
"Dwyer deserves praise for elements of his fresh, modern approach and exhaustive research. . . . [His] biography is fascinating in its unusual descriptions of Napoleon's tribulations and his motivations."and#8212;Llewellyn Cook, The Journal of Military History
Review
"Enlightening. . . . An excellent read for the specialist of the French Revolution as well as the specialist in Bonapartism."and#8212;Anne York, The Historian
Synopsis
A superb new volume tracks Napoleon's ruthless drive for absolute power, from the post-coup years to exile on Elba
In this second volume of Philip Dwyer's authoritative biography on one of history's most enthralling leaders, Napoleon, now 30, takes his position as head of the French state after the 1799 coup. Dwyer explores the young leader's reign, complete with mistakes, wrong turns, and pitfalls, and reveals the great lengths to which Napoleon goes in the effort to fashion his image as legitimate and patriarchal ruler of the new nation. Concealing his defeats, exaggerating his victories, never hesitating to blame others for his own failings, Napoleon is ruthless in his ambition for power. Following Napoleon from Paris to his successful campaigns in Italy and Austria, to the disastrous invasion of Russia, and finally to the war against the Sixth Coalition that would end his reign in Europe, the book looks not only at these events but at the character of the man behind them. Dwyer reveals Napoleon's darker sides--his brooding obsessions and propensity for violence--as well as his passionate nature: his loves, his ability to inspire, and his capacity for realizing his visionary ideas. In an insightful analysis of Napoleon as one of the first truly modern politicians, the author discusses how the persuasive and forward-thinking leader skillfully fashioned the image of himself that persists in legends that surround him to this day.
Synopsis
The second volume of this authoritative biography of Napoleon, tracking his ruthless drive for absolute power from the post-coup years to exile on Elba "A wonderful read that will offer fresh insights to even the most hardened Napoleonic veteran: I only wish that I had written this book."--Charles Esdaile, author of Napoleon's Wars
In this second volume of Philip Dwyer's biography on one of history's most enthralling leaders, Napoleon, now 30, takes his position as head of the French state after the 1799 coup. Dwyer explores the young leader's reign, complete with mistakes, wrong turns, and pitfalls, and reveals the great lengths to which Napoleon goes in the effort to fashion his image as legitimate and patriarchal ruler of the new nation. Concealing his defeats, exaggerating his victories, never hesitating to blame others for his own failings, Napoleon is ruthless in his ambition for power. Following Napoleon from Paris to his successful campaigns in Italy and Austria, to the disastrous invasion of Russia, and finally to the war against the Sixth Coalition that would end his reign in Europe, the book looks not only at these events but at the character of the man behind them. Dwyer reveals Napoleon's darker sides--his brooding obsessions and propensity for violence--as well as his passionate nature: his loves, his ability to inspire, and his capacity for realizing his visionary ideas. In an insightful analysis of Napoleon as one of the first truly modern politicians, the author discusses how the persuasive and forward-thinking leader skillfully fashioned the image of himself that persists in legends that surround him to this day.
Synopsis
At just thirty years of age, Napoleon Bonaparte ruled the most powerful country in Europe. But the journey that led him there was neither inevitable nor smooth.and#160; This authoritative biography focuses on the evolution of Napoleon as a leader and debunks many of the myths that are often repeated about himand#151;sensational myths often propagated by Napoleon himself. Here, Philip Dwyer sheds new light on Napoleonand#8217;s inner lifeand#151;especially his darker side and his passionsand#151;to reveal a ruthless, manipulative, driven man whose character has been disguised by the public image he carefully fashioned to suit the purposes of his ambition.
and#160;
Dwyer focuses acutely on Napoleonand#8217;s formative years, from his Corsican origins to his French education, from his melancholy youth to his flirtation with radicals of the French Revolution, from his first military campaigns in Italy and Egypt to the political-military coup that brought him to power in 1799. One of the first truly modern politicians, Napoleon was a master of and#147;spin,and#8221; using the media to project an idealized image of himself. Dwyerand#8217;s biography of the young Napoleon provides a fascinating new perspective on one of the great figures of modern history.
About the Author
Philip Dwyer is senior lecturer at The University of Newcastle in Australia. He is author or editor of numerous publications on Napoleonic Europe, and is currently writing a biography of Napoleonand#8217;s later years.