Napoleon: A Life
This is a remarkable biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, a man considered one of the greatest military strategists and rulers in the in the late 18th-century French world. It was a role equal to that of the men whose battles and lives he avidly studied: Julius Caesar and Alexander. Early in life Napoleon was a fervent Corsican patriot and would have attained fame there but for his French education. After years of gradual disillusionment, Napoleon seriously pursued his career in the French military, where he became a successful general at an early age. It may be said he was the right man at the right time, ready to rule a country torn apart by revolution and conflict between social classes. What sets this biography apart from others is the balanced point of view, setting forth the military genius, the self-educated background that shapes this brilliant leader’s style of government and law, and the different points of view about the merciless acts carried out under his command. Add to that the complex relationship he had with his once-unfaithful wife, as well as his love of culture through writing, attending theater and more. Napoleon’s final defeat in one way stemmed from failing to anticipate Russia’s genius tactic of destroying all source of supplies as they retreated to their capital. Andrew Roberts’s Napoleon is exciting, comprehensive, and highly recommended reading about a man deemed to be France’s modern savior and tyrant.
