Synopses & Reviews
From New York Times bestselling author Paul Johnson, a very readable and entertaining biography” (The Washington Post) about one of the most important figures in modern European history: Napoleon Bonaparte
In an ideal pairing of author and subject, the magisterial historian Paul Johnson offers a vivid look at the life of the strategist, general, and dictator who conquered much of Europe. Following Napoleon from the barren island of Corsica to his early training in Paris, from his meteoric victories and military dictatorship to his exile and death, Johnson examines the origins of his ferocious ambition. In Napoleon's quest for power, Johnson sees a realist unfettered by patriotism or ideology. And he recognizes Bonapartes violent legacy in the totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century. Napoleon is a magnificent work that bears witness to one individual's ability to work his will on history.
Review
“Excellent.”—
The New Yorker “A masterpiece.”—Wall Street Journal
“The university lecturer in history at Oxford has approached the impossible; he has written a new life of one of the most written-about figures in modern history with freshness, vivacity, fine scholarship, and penetration.”—The Boston Globe
“Markham has achieved a startlingly vivid and coherent picture of Napoleons career, of the social and intellectual influences that molded it, and of the men and forces that opposed it. The military events, the political movements, the personal intrigues—all appear, each in its proper places and perspective.”—Los Angeles Times
Review
Praise for Napoleon by Paul Johnson:
“Paul Johnson . . . is a historian at the top his game. His judgments are sure. His historical range is sweeping. His storytelling is crisp and his writing elegant.”
—The Baltimore Sun
“The selection of the venerable British historian . . . Paul Johnson to write on Napoleon . . . has turned out to be a wise one: Johnson is succinct, critical, and deeply skeptical of the Napoleonic legend.”
—The Atlantic Monthly
“This is a jewel of a book; comprehensive, brief, and passionate.”
—The Economist
“Johnson provides an excellent overview . . . [He] presents a concise appraisal of Napoleons career and a precise understanding of his enigmatic character.”
—Booklist
“[A] succinct yet lively biography . . . very readable and entertaining.”
—The Washington Post
Synopsis
A magnificent reconstruction of Napoleon's life and legend written by a distinguished Oxford scholar.
Synopsis
"Markham has achieved a startlingly vivid and coherent picture of Napoleon's career, of the social and intellectual influences that molded it, and of the men and forces that opposed it. The military events, the political movements, the personal intrigues--all appear, each in its proper place and perspective."--Los Angeles Times This magnificent reconstruction of Napoleon's life and legend, written by a distinguished Oxford scholar, is based on intimate documents--including the personal letters of Marie-Louise and the decoded diaries of Grand Marshal Bertrand, who accompanied Napoleon to his final exile on St. Helena. It has been hailed as the most important single-volume work in Napoleonic literature.
Synopsis
This magnificent reconstruction of Napoleons life and legend, written by a distinguished Oxford scholar, is based on intimate documentsincluding the personal letters of Marie-Louise and the decoded diaries of Grand Marshal Bertrand, who accompanied Napoleon to his final exile on St. Helena. It has been hailed as the most important single-volume work in Napoleonic literature.
About the Author
Felix Markham (190892) was born in Brighton, England. After graduating from Oxford, he taught history there for some forty years. Among his books are
Napoleon and the Awakening of Europe and
The Bonapartes. He was also the editor and translator of such works as
Henri Comte de Saint-Simon, 17601825: Selected Writings.
Steven Englund took a doctorate from Princeton after studying at Cambridge. He has taught at UCLA, the Université de Paris VIII, Sciences Po, l'École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and is now Distinguished NYU Professor at the American University of Paris. His books or coauthorships include The Inquisition in Hollywood: Politics in the Film Community, 19301960 and Napoleon: A Political Life, which was winner of the History Grand Prix of the Fondation Napoléon as well as the J. Russell Major Prize (for best book in English on French History, 2004) of the American Historical Association. Among the publications he contributes to are La Revue des Deux Mondes, Le Monde, La Revue dHistoire Moderne et Contemporaine, Commonweal, and Cross Currents. He was a Guggenheim Fellow from 2005 to 2006.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: The Corsican Background
Chapter Two: Revolutionary, General, Consul, Emperor
Chapter Three: The Master of the Battlefield
Chapter Four: The Flawed and Fragile Empire
Chapter Five: The Graveyards of Europe
Chapter Six: Elba and Waterloo
Chapter Seven: The Long Good-bye
Further Reading