| Napoleon - The Path to Power
(2008)
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| Front Cover |
Book Details |
Back Cover |
|
| Genre |
Biography; Non-Fiction |
| Subject |
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821; Emperors - France - Biography; France - History - Louis XVI, 1774-1793; France - History - Revolution, 1789-1799 |
| Publication Date |
3/27/2008 |
| Format |
Hardcover (9.5
x
6.5
mm)
|
| Publisher |
Yale University Press |
| Language |
English |
| Extras |
Dust Jacket; Dust Jacket Cover |
|
|
| Description |
| 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. This authoritative biography focuses on the evolution of Napoleon as a leader and debunks many of the myths that are often repeated about him—sensational myths often propagated by Napoleon himself. Here, Philip Dwyer sheds new light on Napoleon’s inner life—especially his darker side and his passions—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. Dwyer focuses acutely on Napoleon’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 “spin,” using the media to project an idealized image of himself. Dwyer’s biography of the young Napoleon provides a fascinating new perspective on one of the great figures of modern history. |
| Personal Details |
| Store |
2nd & Charles |
| Purchase Price |
$13.65 |
| Acquire Date |
3/2/2022 |
| Condition |
Very Good/Very Good |
| Rating |
0 |
| Links |
Library of Congress
|
|
| Product Details |
| LoC Classification |
DC205 .D95 2008 |
| Dewey |
944.05092 |
| ISBN |
9780300137545 |
| Cover Price |
$35.00 |
| No. of Pages |
651 |
| First Edition |
No |
| Rare |
No |
|
| Notes/Review |
In an ideal world, I'd have looked closer at this one before I bought it. This book covers Napoleon's life from birth to the Coup of 18 Brumaire, which brought him to power. I much prefer whole-life biographies. So my disappointment is mine and mine alone.
I did find the book interesting and informative for the period it covered. It sounds to me like the author (and any others attempting to tell Napoleon's story) is faced with quite a challenge. There is quite a bit of conflicting information of most of his life, and quite a bit of missing information. So the author more or less had to assemble a jigsaw puzzle with only a general idea of the picture, and some missing pieces as well as pieces from some other puzzle.
The book has many illustrations, is thoroughly noted, and has an extensive bibliography.
Napoleon, it seems to me, was power-hungry but without principle. He ran a good propaganda machine for his personal benefit, exaggerating is successes and minimizing or ignoring his failures. He was successful in Italy, but a total failure in Egypt, eventually abandoning his troops there. (Forced marches through the desert without water? WTF?) In politics, up to 18 Brumaire, he took whatever position was best for his future. He was a windsock. He wasn't a good extemporaneous speaker, and often his prepared remarks were recycled from his earlier speeches or the words of others.
I'd still like to get the rest of the story. |
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