What is the best biography of napoleon
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Words And Peace
Friends and students (I teach French online through Skype), often ask me advice about books. Suddenly I thought that I might as well share with all of you, so this may become some type of memes.
Yesterday, I was asked what would be the best biography of Napoleon.
After a bit of research, it seems the best biography so far is
It is 926 pages long and was published in November 2014.
It received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography (2014).
Then I realized it was already on my TBR shelf!
I also found 2 fascinating lists, with a short summary for each book, hereand here.
And I read a good historical novel set in Napoleon’s court:
Click on the cover to access my review
Other good novels related to Napoleon:
The Last Campaign of Marianne Tambour
and
For The King
HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE?
WHICH BIOGRAPHY OR NOVEL
ON NAPOLEON
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?
Related
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The best books on Napoleon
If you were to explain the significance of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) to someone who knew nothing about him, what would you say?
I’d set aside his military achievements—conquering half of europe in the 16 years of his rule between 1799 and 1815—as all of those had completely disappeared bygd the time of the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Instead, I’d concentrate on those aspects of his rule that can still be seen in France and in much of Western Europe today.
I argue that although he didn’t have much to do with the French Revolution itself, as he was too ung, he nonetheless kept the best bits of the Revolution—equality before the lag, religious tolerance, meritocracy—for France and the countries that France conquered. The Code Napoleon was still in effect in the Rhineland until 1900, for example, and it underlies modern European legal systems to this day.
He got rid of the worst bits, like the mass guillotining, the Reign of Terror, the various m
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I've read more than a few biographies of the Great Man, and the following I highly recommend:
Napoleon Bonaparte: An Intimate Biography by Vincent Cronin
The following is my review of the book:
"It is an excellent biography of Napoleon and is filled with excellent information on Napoleon the man and head of state, and concentrates on his civil achievements as First Consul and Emperor. It is very well sourced, and if the author's sources are checked, the reader will discover that the material is accurate as well as well-delivered.
Too many 'biographies' of Napoleon do nothing but regurgitate the old 'Corsican Ogre' theory that is based on the English and allied propaganda of the period. This volume explores Napoleon's actions, motivation, and achievements and after reading of this, Napoleon is shown to have been head and shoulders above his contemporary heads of state in Great Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia, who were his main antagon