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 Bonaparte’s 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.
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"Very informative. Good if you want to know more about Napoleon or the French Revolution and the events surrounding it; however, it focuses solely on Napoleon's life (it is a biography, after all), and I wouldn't recommend it for people not explicitly interested in Napoleon Bonaparte. "
— Matthew (4 out of 5 stars)
" Concise and clear. Exactly what I was looking for. "
— Grappler, 3/1/2020" Very informative. Good if you want to know more about Napoleon or the French Revolution and the events surrounding it; however, it focuses solely on Napoleon's life (it is a biography, after all), and I wouldn't recommend it for people not explicitly interested in Napoleon Bonaparte. "
— Matthew, 2/18/2014" Interesting book, didn't know anything about Napoleon and now I know too much. I became fascinated by his exile in Elba and went for another book that gets more in-depth about his time on the island. "
— Chris, 2/13/2014" I knew very little about Napoleon, but since I've never had a great interest in French history, I picked up this slim volume in hopes that it would give me a quick sketch of a powerful and influential historical figure. Unfortunately I found it to be quite dry at times. I also suspect that Napoleon isn't the best historical figure for this series of biographies. There were so many names and facts crammed in to the book that it became dull and felt like it wasn't giving enough information on people and events that needed more exposition. "
— Eileen, 2/6/2014" Great overview of Napoleon - easy to read "
— John, 1/29/2014" Quick read, good education on this madman. "
— carl, 1/14/2014" A short biography of the French emperor by one of my favorite authors. Interesting, enlightening, full of Johnson's usual wisdom. If you want a passing knowledge of Bonaparte, this is a great way to get it. "
— Kevin, 1/11/2014" I just finished re-reading Johnson's slim biography of the Terror of Corsica. I think it is the best I've ever read on Napoleon and his impact on greater Europe - even to this day. "
— Frank, 12/27/2013" Good book. Short. Napoleon is fascinating and this book gives you a quick over view of his life. "
— Gary, 12/24/2013" One of P. Johnson's better written books, I believe the short format helps him be a better, more concise writer. Very interesting, learned a lot re Napolean & his times, impact on Europe & world history. "
— Gilbert, 12/21/2013" line after line, the first half was so interesting! definatly four stars! but then it turned completely dull! "
— Kate, 11/20/2013" Short, precise biography for the legend of post-Revolutionary France. This has been the type of read that I wanted to understand Napoleon, concisely describing his rise and his fall whilst simultaneously providing great insight into why. "
— Thomas, 11/15/2013" Kind of dry. A timeline would have been a nice referential compliment to all the detail. "
— eliza, 6/27/2013" Great read. Too short but loved it. "
— Brian, 3/21/2013" As always, Johnson provides essential info and understanding in 280 pages. A quick read with lots of insight and facts. "
— Chuck, 1/4/2013" This short book was the perfect introduction to Napoleon. It outlines his life, military and political career, and downfall. But it also describes the man himself and comments on how he has been viewed by history. "
— Nicholas, 12/1/2012" Utpotpunio sam saznanja o Napoelonu kao najvecem savremenom strategu na svetu.... "
— Ivan, 5/20/2012" Concise and interesting. "
— Matt/Sharon, 1/2/2012" Very good quick introduction to Napoleon and his life. The only drawback is that there are no footnotes or endnotes, so you simply have to take Johnson at his word. There is a section with suggestion for further reading, however. "
— Oana, 12/21/2011" this book was a mess of sweeping generalizations and misconstrued facts, some very blatant. there was a pretty thorough description of the battle of waterloo which i thought was good, but i do not recommend this book. in fact i recommend staying far away from it. "
— Ingrid, 10/9/2011" A concise but rich biography of Napoleon. Johnson is a diligent historian and provides an excellent guide to Napoleon's life and times. "
— Matt, 9/14/2011" Short, precise biography for the legend of post-Revolutionary France. This has been the type of read that I wanted to understand Napoleon, concisely describing his rise and his fall whilst simultaneously providing great insight into why. "
— Thomas, 2/6/2011" Great read. Too short but loved it. "
— Brian, 9/9/2010" Utpotpunio sam saznanja o Napoelonu kao najvecem savremenom strategu na svetu.... "
— Ivan, 1/7/2010" One of P. Johnson's better written books, I believe the short format helps him be a better, more concise writer. Very interesting, learned a lot re Napolean & his times, impact on Europe & world history. "
— Gilbert, 12/30/2009" This short book was the perfect introduction to Napoleon. It outlines his life, military and political career, and downfall. But it also describes the man himself and comments on how he has been viewed by history. "
— Nicholas, 12/28/2009" Very good quick introduction to Napoleon and his life. The only drawback is that there are no footnotes or endnotes, so you simply have to take Johnson at his word. There is a section with suggestion for further reading, however. "
— Oana, 8/26/2009" this book was a mess of sweeping generalizations and misconstrued facts, some very blatant. there was a pretty thorough description of the battle of waterloo which i thought was good, but i do not recommend this book. in fact i recommend staying far away from it. "
— Ingrid, 6/29/2009" Kind of dry. A timeline would have been a nice referential compliment to all the detail. "
— eliza, 4/3/2009" Quick read on one of history's most fascinating people. "
— Don, 1/25/2009" I think it may be Napoleon's life that didn't do it for me, though Johnson's writing didn't really help. I appreciated the historiographical elements of the book, though, as well as the anecdotes about Bonaparte's behavior. An okay introduction. "
— Erik, 12/12/2008Paul Johnson, British author and historian, is the author of many books, including Modern Times, A History of the Jews, Intellectuals, The Birth of the Modern, and The Quest for God, which have been translated into many languages. He has been a frequent contributor to the Daily Telegraph, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Spectator, and other newspapers and magazines. He has lectured to academic, business, and political audiences all over the world.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.