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“Roberts is a masterly storyteller…I would recommend his book to anyone seeking an accessible chronicle, rich in anecdote, of Napoleon’s fantastic story.”
- Wall Street Journal
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“Is another long life of Napoleon really necessary? On three counts, the answer given by Andrew Roberts’ impressive book is an emphatic yes. The most important is that this is the first single-volume general biography to make full use of the treasure trove of Napoleon’s 33,000-odd letters, which began being published in Paris only in 2004. Second, Roberts, who has previously written on Napoleon and Wellington, is a masterly analyst of the French emperor’s many battles. Third, his book is beautifully written and a pleasure to read.”
- Economist (London)
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“A huge, rich, deep, witty, humane and unapologetically admiring biography that is a pleasure to read. The Napoleon painted here is a whirlwind of a man—not only a vigorous and supremely confident commander but an astonishingly busy governor, correspondent, and lover, too…To dive into Roberts’ new book is to understand—indeed, to feel—why this peculiarly brilliant Corsican managed for so long to dazzle the world.”
- Telegraph (London)
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“Entertaining, even addictive…Roberts writes with great vigor, style, and fluency.”
- Sunday Times (London)
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“There have been many books about Napoleon, but Andrew Roberts’ single-volume biography is the first to make full use of the ongoing French publication of Napoleon’s 33,000 letters…Although Napoleon: A Life is 800+ pages long, it is both enjoyable and illuminating. Napoleon comes across as whip smart, well-studied, ambitious to a fault, a little awkward, and perhaps most importantly, a man who could turn on the charm when he needed to…A fascinating read.”
- Amazon.com, editorial review
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“This 976-page magnum opus is the first to fully utilize the recent publication of the French conqueror’s 33,000 letters. In addition, the award-winning historian author has made telling discoveries in archives and in scores of visits to battlefields. This seminal biography is certain to be one of the most reviewed and discussed books of the year.”
- Barnes&Noble.com, editorial review
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“The pleasures of Roberts’ big, richly detailed biography of the great French conqueror are enhanced in this outstanding audiobook production. John Lee is a steady and agreeable narrator, and a good choice for a work this long…Lee maintains the fine balance between intimacy and perspective, as well as between Napoleon’s current and former reputation, to make this one of the stellar histories and audiobook adaptations of this year. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
- AudioFile
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“Roberts relies on his military expertise, Napoleon’s surviving correspondence, and exhaustive on-site studies of French battlegrounds during the Hundred Days to carefully describe what each battle, including the Waterloo Campaign and the Neapolitan War, must have been like for victors and losers. In the process, he deflates many of the myths that still surround the emperor nearly 200 years after his final defeat at Waterloo in 1815. The author doesn’t apologize for Napoleon’s errors but the tone of his study is positie…Verdict: This voluminous work is likely to set the standard for subsequent accounts of Napoleon’s life. It should appeal widely to readers of all types.”
- Library Journal (starred review)
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“A definitive account that dispels many of the myths that surrounded Napoleon from his lifetime to the present day.”
- Publishers Weekly
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“Readers will find this book to be a long but mostly pleasant reading experience.”
- Kirkus Reviews