Napoleon: A Life Paperback – Illustrated, 20 Oct. 2015

The media could not be loaded. Hi everyone! If you’ve ever been fascinated by one of history’s most controversial and captivating figures, you need to hear about Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. This isn’t just a biography—it’s an epic journey through the life of a man who reshaped the world. Stick around, and I’ll tell you why this book is an absolute masterpiece.I imported my own copy from the US, as it is not available in the UK and it was totally worth it!Andrew Roberts’ Napoleon: A Life is a monumental work. Drawing on a wealth of new research, including over 33,000 letters written by Napoleon himself, Roberts gives us an intimate and balanced portrait of the man behind the myth. Whether you see Napoleon as a visionary or a tyrant, this book will challenge your perspective.What makes this book stand out is how Roberts captures the complexity of Napoleon’s character. He wasn’t just a military genius—though, let’s be honest, his campaigns are astonishing. He was also a statesman, a reformer, and, surprisingly, a man capable of deep love and profound insecurity. Roberts doesn’t shy away from Napoleon’s darker side, but he also highlights his extraordinary achievements, like the Napoleonic Code, which still influences legal systems today.The book excels in bringing Napoleon’s world to life. From his rise as a young artillery officer during the French Revolution to his crowning as Emperor and eventual exile to St. Helena, every moment is vividly portrayed. Roberts has an incredible knack for putting you right in the action—whether it’s on the battlefield or in the halls of power.Here’s one of my favorite excerpts: [read a short, impactful passage - perhaps describing the Battle of Austerlitz or Napoleon’s exile on Elba]. Isn’t that incredible? The detail and emotion in Roberts’ writing are second to none.One thing I really appreciated about this book is its pacing. Even though it’s over 800 pages long, it never feels overwhelming. Roberts weaves together military strategy, personal anecdotes, and political intrigue in a way that keeps you turning the pages. It’s like reading a novel, but every word is grounded in meticulous research.For those of you who love military history, the battle descriptions are breathtaking. Roberts explains the strategy and tactics in a way that’s easy to follow, even if you’re not a history buff. And for those more interested in Napoleon’s personal life, the book delves deeply into his relationships—with his first wife Josephine, his family, and his loyal marshals.What’s fascinating is how Roberts also humanizes Napoleon. In his exile on St. Helena, we see a reflective and often lonely man who grapples with the legacy he left behind. It’s a poignant end to an extraordinary life.Now, is this book for everyone? If you’re intimidated by long biographies, it might seem daunting at first. But trust me, Roberts’ storytelling will draw you in. It’s perfect for history lovers, military enthusiasts, or anyone curious about one of the most transformative figures in history.So, if you’re ready to immerse yourself in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts is the book for you. It’s insightful, engaging, and, above all, unforgettable.

A well-referenced, detailed and very thorough account of the entirety of Napoleon's life. Each chapter stands alone as it's own account, meaning this book could be read out of order if a read wants to pick and choose which bits they read.

A real page turner & great introduction to the life & times of Napoleon Bonaparte. Very definite account, thoroughly researched & referenced. Although Andrew Roberts may be biased towards Napoleon, controversial & unsettling events during the period are dealt with in a balanced approach. Ultimately, a fair & balanced account of a very unique period of human history. Chapters are set-pieces, almost stand alone segments, for a reader who may want to specialise in a specific area they are a great starting point.For the general reader & specialist, a masterly & epic account of Europe's greatest tactician since Julius Caesar.

History writing at its very best. What I loved about the book was the historical detail and the fact Mr Roberts had been to so many of the places that mattered in Napoleon's life.

Excellent

This book is a Masterpiece full of brilliant detail into Napoleons life it’s changed my view completely of Napoleon he did a lot for France introducing several institutions that are still flourishing today.For me this is the definitive book on Napoleon.

My son for Christmas , he loved it

Avant-Garde Politician: Leaders for a New EpochReading this book as a case study of leadership, historic processes and their intersections, the following lessons emerge:On leadership, Napoleon was unique, far above accepted classifications, such as "transformative leadership." He is a prime example of what I call in my recent book "prototype avant-garde politician." "He had transformed the art of leadership" (p. 802). However Napoleon, as some other history-swerving political leaders (and other types of "future makers") should be viewed as a "mutant": what made him uniquely "great" cannot be learned, such as outstanding multitasking and a unique combination between radically innovative generalship and revolutionary enlightenment reforms.Still, many useful lessons on leadership are provided by Napoleon, such as: reading a lot in history and political philosophy, being very inquisitive, hard-working, insisting on meritocracy, being interested in science and a patron of art, and relating personally to subordinates.Not less so, many lessons on what to avoid are provided by Napoleon's persistent errors, such as nepotism and engaging too much in micromanagement. Striking is the strange combination between interest in science and gross neglect of its military uses.Thus, he disbanded the military balloonist unit (p. 795, note) and did not develop a rockets capacity, despite their proved efficacy when used by the British (p. 682). This may well show that his interest in science was not profound.More important are two fundamental flaws which led to his ultimate personal failure: (1) Napoleon misread a critical feature of reality, namely Great Britain and its strength; and (2) he did not knowing when to stop, refusing reasonable peace opportunities, such as at the Congress of Prague (after his retreat from Russia) - apparently because of self-conceited imagining himself as a new Caesar (who was his main role model) . As stated in the text "... almost every other statesman of the day would have agreed to [the] terms. But the Emperor of France, the heir to Caesar and Alexander, simply could not bring himself to accept what he saw as a humiliating peace." (p. 661).On historic processes: Napoleon's career demonstrates the critical role of various forms of "luck," much more so than implied in the view of history as "contingent," or the treatment of Fortuna by Machiavelli. The author provides some examples (p. 269), but much more was at stake: All of his becoming Emperor was a result of counter-probabilistic chains of events, starting with the match between his basic traits and the situation into which he was born (fitting the contingency theory of leadership.On the intersection between leadership and historic processes: Napoleon was clearly a "Hero" impacting strongly on the future of Europe and beyond, being not only the last but the most important of the Enlightenment absolutist beneficent rulers (pp. 527-528). As put by the author "To large numbers of people across Europe Napoleon seemed to represent the ideas of progress, meritocracy and a rational future" (p. 529). And British historian H. A. L. Fisher was right in judging, as quoted in the book, that "Napoleon`s Empire shattered the obdurate crust of habit and substituted wide ideas...for narrow, slovenly, lethargic provincialism." (pp. 527-518).Given the many merits of this book, still it does not succeed to "re-enact history," as proposed by the philosopher of history R. G. Collingwood. Despite extensive reliance on letters by Napoleon no real insights into his mind are arrived at. Shorter discussion of the battles (from which no valid lessons for modern military affairs can be drawn), and more concentration on the interiority of Napoleon would have made the book more interesting, at least for me.As it is, the book makes good reading on a "grand adventure" and an important historic episode. But its lessons on leadership and the processes of history could have been better presented in 400 instead of 810 pages of text.Professor Yehezkel DrorThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem