Napoleon: A Life

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.

Excellent work on Napoleon ... very well researched ... a must for any Napoleonic enthusiast ...

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

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.

I was loaned this book in Abidjan and mentioned it to a relative in France which is why I bought it. It contains many facts about Napoleon that I was not aware of, all the more interesting that some of his life was spent around where we have a home. Napoleon is a bit of anachronism. Amazing that he made it as far as he did without getting fired. And yet, a genius whose influence is still felt in many countries around the world today.

Excelente historiador!!

My interest in reading this book was primarily concerned with gaining an insight into Napoleon’s military campaigns and with Napoleon as a military leader. However, I soon realized that in addition to being a highly talented battlefield commander - he remained undefeated in 53 of the 60 battles he fought- he was also a capable statesman, reformer, administrator and a patron of the arts. In an age where Feudalism and Serfdom were still prevalent in many European states, Napoleon was an ‘enlightened’ absolutist - creator of the Code Napoléon - who fostered meritocracy, secularism, religious tolerance, and equality before the law. Napoleon’s ambition aptly complemented by his leadership style, ability to inspire men and brilliance on the battlefield made him master of Europe. However, he was not without his vices and could be regarded as the quintessential warmonger, responsible of bringing war and destruction upon Europe for many years. His decline began with his failed invasion of Russia. Also, his enemies learnt from him and applied his methods against him, while he himself began to ignore his own highly successful military maxims. He was finally defeated when much of Europe allied against him and brought an end to his regime in 1815. As the narrative begins with the French revolution in the backdrop, a little prior reading on the French revolution would be helpful in better understanding the initial chapters. Sizable space has been devoted to Napoleon’s campaigns – Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Waterloo - and these have been well described by the author at the ‘Operational level’; a level of warfare, the creation of which is credited to Napoleon. However, in the present century it is difficult to visualize how Divisions, Demi Brigades and Line regiments under Napoleon’s famous Marshals - Murat, Davout, Soult, Ney, Lannes, Masséna, Oudinot etc. - were exactly fighting at the tactical level. Thus, the possession of a companion book on Infantry & Cavalry tactics of the Napoleonic wars would greatly aid in better visualizing the various battlefields. I intend to procure such a companion and re-read this book, also as I recently realized that I was in possession of ‘Dictionary of the Napoleonic War’ by David G. Chandler – currently sitting idle in my library- a book if noticed earlier would have made the reading of this volume more enjoyable and educative. Overall, Andrew Roberts’s cradle to grave biography of Napoleon- with Napoleon’s recently published thirty three thousand surviving letters as a source material - is exhaustive in its contents and provides a good account of Napoleon’s professional and personal life, his work, his achievements and his failings. Whether he was an enlightened despot or a quintessential warmongers is to be decided by the readers. Nevertheless, the book is highly recommended for anyone interested in Napoleon.

Concordo com o jornalista WW que recomendou a leitura. Mesmo sendo um livro de praticamente 1000 páginas, é um livro agradável e que insprime uma vida tão contestada.

元はイタリア領のコルシカ(後にフランス領)に生まれ、砲兵士官を経てフランス皇帝にまで上りつめ数奇の運命を辿った稀代の英傑の生涯をナポレオン研究の第一人者Andrew Robertsがまとめた一巻完結の伝記。 著者はナポレオンに関する同時代の側近や後世の歴史家が書いた毀誉褒貶を含む数々の文献やナポレオンの著作や33,000通余りにも及ぶ手紙などを精読し、なおかつ、流刑地のエルバ島やセントヘレナ島などの史跡や激戦地だったロシアやオーストリアの古戦場、それらの地の公文書館を訪れて見聞を広めるなどして収集した膨大な知識をもとに生い立ちからセントヘレナで病没するまでを描き切っています。 この本によって、虚飾を剝ぎ取った等身大のナポレオンの実像を知ることができ、さらにはフランス革命やその後の統治体制の変遷、当時のヨーロッパの文化や階級制度、地政学などについて博物学的知識を習得できるのも大きな魅力です。 多くの場合、偉人や英雄は本人の資質だけで勝ち得たものではなく、背景に歴史上の大変革や大事件などの舞台装置が大きく作用している。不出世の英雄と崇められるナポレオンだが、一介の下士官で権力の中枢に結び付く有力なコネも財力もない野心家のナポレオンにとってフランス革命は、立身上のまたとないチャンスだったという意味で「フランス革命の申し子」と言っても過言ではないと思う。 ロベスピエール率いるジャコバン派の恐怖政治によりルイ１６世とマリーアントワネット妃が断頭台で処刑されると恐怖に駆られた貴族達は挙って国外に亡命する。同時に貴族の子弟たちが多数を占めるフランス軍の高級将校も身の危険を感じて国外に亡命し、結果として将官級ポストががら空きとなり、ジャコバン派寄りのナポレオンは棚ぼた式の僥倖で若干２４歳の若さで旅団将軍(general)に任命される。 その後砲兵司令官となり、王政復古を狙う反乱軍の鎮圧を経てとんとん拍子に地位を高めイタリア遠征軍司令官、さらにエジプト遠征軍司令官としての武勲によりフランス国民の熱狂的支持を得ます。 フランス革命という歴史上の大事件がなければ、貴族士官が主要ポストを占めナポレオンは無名の下級将校でキャリアを終えていたかもしれない。 ナポレオンは弁舌が巧みで兵士の士気を鼓舞することに長けており、戦場でしばしば檄を飛ばして激戦をものにした。曰く「勝敗を左右するのは、兵士の士気が４分の3で残りの４分の1が兵器などの物理的装備」。当時の戦闘形態は白兵戦だったので、多少の誇張はあるものの肯ける。 波乱万丈の風雲児の生涯ですが、史実に基づいた等身大の実像に迫る本なので淡々とした文章でまとめ上げられています。戦争に明け暮れる生涯だったことからこの本の大部分が戦争(軍略、同盟、外交交渉等を含む)や戦場や戦闘シーンで占められており、大作であることに加え戦闘や疫病や餓死などで夥しい数の将兵や戦禍に曝された町や村の住民が命を落とし死屍累々の野ざらしとなる様に心が痛み読み疲れします。 英雄かはたまた独裁者かの線引きは難しいけれど、領土をめぐる争いが絶えなかった時代には、有無を言わさず国民を徴兵で狩り集め戦場に送り込む絶対的権力が必要だった。今日でもカリスマ経営者は合議制を嫌う。 我々は歴史上の偉人や英雄を今日的な社会規範や倫理観を尺度にして評価しがちですが、それらの人物が生きた歴史的背景の下で成し遂げた偉業を評価すべきものなのです。 革命に限らず体制の崩壊や大転換の際には内乱や周辺諸国の武力干渉を招き戦争となるのは歴史の必然。 エンタメではなく歴史の教訓を得るための本だと思うのですが、良書なので一人でも読者を増やしたいという思いが募り長々と書きました。 随所にフランス語が出没するので第二外国語履修程度のフランス語の素養があれば理解が深まります。