Post: #1

I've been meaning to read about Napoleon for a while but with literally thousands of books written about him just picking one 800 page tome seems a daunting task. I don't have all the time in the world to read and I want to get the best bang for my buck, not spend months pouring through several of them.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Something like Ron Chernow's Titan, only for Napoleon?

Obviously any book is going to be heavy on statecraft and warfare but I'm looking for something that delves more into the man himself, his personality, childhood etc.

Post: #2

Napoleon: A Life is sort of the anchor text these days. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

A good book on the French Revolution itself might be a good appetizer, though I wouldn't recommend Citizens. Maybe even something like For Liberty and Glory that puts it alongside the American Revolution.

Post: #3

Was he a hero or a tyrant? Did he undo the French revolution or further its cause?

Post: #4

(08-31-2017 02:11 PM)Jetset Wrote:  Napoleon: A Life is sort of the anchor text these days. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

A good book on the French Revolution itself might be a good appetizer, though I wouldn't recommend Citizens. Maybe even something like For Liberty and Glory that puts it alongside the American Revolution.

Halfway through the audiobook now! Definitely reccomended--it's pretty long though fyi.

Post: #5

(08-31-2017 02:11 PM)Jetset Wrote:  Napoleon: A Life is sort of the anchor text these days. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

A good book on the French Revolution itself might be a good appetizer, though I wouldn't recommend Citizens. Maybe even something like For Liberty and Glory that puts it alongside the American Revolution.

Why didn't you like Citizens? I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list of possible reads.

Post: #6

(09-01-2017 05:22 PM)Enigma Wrote:  Why didn't you like Citizens? I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list of possible reads.

There's nothing wrong with it, and I read it a long time ago, but it seemed a little all over the place, like the author assumed I already understood the source material and was ready to nod my head in agreement with his points.

For that reason, I didn't feel like the book was a good first introduction to the topic. Re-reading it now, I might get more out of it.

Post: #7

Although a work of fiction, I found War and Peace to be a bit revealing about Napoleon; in particular, the admiration that the Russian elite had for him. Tolstoy was his contemporary, so I am assuming that his depiction was fairly accurate.

That being said, I have added Napoleon: A Life to my list now, thanks to this thread. Non-fiction being a better representation of history, generally speaking.