Napoleon

Rating:
Summary: Fast paced biography and history of a remarkable leader.
Review: Felix Markham's "Napoleon" is a triumph. It's really a whirlwind history if you consider that within the first 100 pages you've seen Napoleon rise from his fairly humble Corsican origins to First Consul. The pace of the book was definetly something that I enjoyed! Markham details the rise to power, the political intrigues as well as the battles and campaigns that have in so many ways defined Napoleon. Napoleon's decline, exile and the rehabilitation of the Napoleonic legend in France are also well covered.

The strength of the book is that it's really well written. It's enjoyable to read, very clear and concise. While the biography may be criticized as being pro-Napoleon, I didn't feel he was unduly so, in fact his description of Napoleon as an enigma seems quite accurate and is probably one of the reasons that Napoleon continues to be controversial and of interest. As for the layout, I disliked having the maps at the end of the book, but that is of course a very minor issue.

This is definetly a good introduction for anyone interested in learning more about Napoleon.

Rating:
Summary: Very good introduction to Napoleon
Review: Felix Markham's work is quite short- a mere 304 pages. This is obviously not nearly long enough to give a full accounting of the life of Napoleon, one of the most extraordinary men in all of history. Still, for those readers who may not know much about Napoleon, this book is an excellent introduction. Being broad rather than deep, it covers most aspects of Napoleon's life.

If you want a full and deep study of Napoleon's life, read the works of Vincent Cronin or Andre Castelot. If you want a brief overview, Markham's book would serve very well.

Rating:
Summary: A brief history of Napoleon
Review: For an introduction to or a refresher course in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, readers would do well to invest in Felix Markham's 270-page mini-biography "Napoleon", published in 1963. Succinct it definitely is, which means that military campaigns requiring a great deal of detail tend to be a little dry, while Napoleon's coronation (depicted by David as one of the great spectacles in the first half of the 19th Century) is covered by Markham in a few brush strokes. The true value of the book, aside from its synopsis of a dazzling history, is Markham's incisive study of Napoleon's personality and the enormous effect he had on his generation as well as those to come. Junot is quoted as saying: "He is the sort of man of whom nature is sparing and who only appears on earth at intervals of centuries." Napoleon's wisdom as an administrator is set against his occasional brutality, as when he had 3,000 prisoners shot to death at Jaffa or somewhat arbitrarily ordered the execution of the Duc d'Enghien. (It was the latter act that caused Beethoven to cross out the "Eroica" dedication.) Markham debunks some Napoleonic myths, including my favorite that Napoleon subsisted on only four hours of sleep per day, plus power naps. And for those of us who think of Napoleon's rise to power as an unobstructed arc of triumph, Markham reminds us that in the early part of his career Napoleon came more than once under the shadow of the guillotine. There are 38 illustrations and, like the text, they provide a sort of précis of this extraordinary life. The portraits of Napoleon from the 1790's depict him in dramatic poses, his hair blowing in the wind, very much like a 1940's movie star. These contrast sadly with the St Helena pictures, the ex-Emperor leaning on a spade in his garden, looking tamed and resigned. From triumphant Emperor to tired exile, Felix Markham presents a "Napoleon" that is short but strong.

Rating:
Summary: A brief history of Napoleon
Review: For an introduction to or a refresher course in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, readers would do well to invest in Felix Markham's 270-page mini-biography "Napoleon", published in 1963. Succinct it definitely is, which means that military campaigns requiring a great deal of detail tend to be a little dry, while Napoleon's coronation (depicted by David as one of the great spectacles in the first half of the 19th Century) is covered by Markham in a few brush strokes. The true value of the book, aside from its synopsis of a dazzling history, is Markham's incisive study of Napoleon's personality and the enormous effect he had on his generation as well as those to come. Junot is quoted as saying: "He is the sort of man of whom nature is sparing and who only appears on earth at intervals of centuries." Napoleon's wisdom as an administrator is set against his occasional brutality, as when he had 3,000 prisoners shot to death at Jaffa or somewhat arbitrarily ordered the execution of the Duc d'Enghien. (It was the latter act that caused Beethoven to cross out the "Eroica" dedication.) Markham debunks some Napoleonic myths, including my favorite that Napoleon subsisted on only four hours of sleep per day, plus power naps. And for those of us who think of Napoleon's rise to power as an unobstructed arc of triumph, Markham reminds us that in the early part of his career Napoleon came more than once under the shadow of the guillotine. There are 38 illustrations and, like the text, they provide a sort of pr?cis of this extraordinary life. The portraits of Napoleon from the 1790's depict him in dramatic poses, his hair blowing in the wind, very much like a 1940's movie star. These contrast sadly with the St Helena pictures, the ex-Emperor leaning on a spade in his garden, looking tamed and resigned. From triumphant Emperor to tired exile, Felix Markham presents a "Napoleon" that is short but strong.

Rating:
Summary: Brief and Concise
Review: If you're looking for a complete account of post revolutionary Europe or of Napoleon's life, this is not the right book.

If what you're looking for is a summary of major events in the life of Napoleon, then this is the right book. It does not go into detail and leaves out particularly interesting passages of Bonaparte's carreer, such as some of the battles and in particular Auterlitz.

As can be expected, if you have read about Napoleon before, you will be left with a sense of emptiness, as some critical and crucial events are covered in a single paragraph.

The only major shortcomming of the book is that it practically ignores Napoleon's relationship with women (Josephine, Marie-Louise)which as we all know is key to understanding Napoleonic history.

The book is very well documented and overall presents a very nice introduction to Napoleon. Also, it is easy to read....

Rating:
Summary: Markham sheds light on 'Napoleon'
Review: In his book, 'Napoleon,' Felix Markham traces the rise and fall of one of the most important men in western history. As a biography, Markham sometimes relies too much questionable references, but as a history, 'Napoleon' ranks among the great works on the subject. The reports of the battles and the men who served the Emperor are first rate. One can almost imagine being at Marengo, Austerlitz or Waterloo, or riding alside Ney, Marmont, or Junot. Perhaps some of the most appealing aspects of this book are the accounts of Napoleon's life after his exile to St. Helena and the events surrounding his death. Markham also shows us how the Napoleonic legend helped to shape post-Imperial France. I would recomend this book to anyone who would like to know more about this facinating historical figure.

Rating:
Summary: Short and concise
Review: In the preface, Felix Markham says he intends to provide "a biography of Napoleon: what he thought and did". In this contribution to the Napoleon legend, Markham supplies a concise work dealing with major points in Napoleon's life. It is not an overall account of everything Napoleon did, nor is it in-depth enough to be considered a complete history. Markham does accomplish what he attempts by giving the reader a general understanding of post revolution France and Europe as well as the affect Napoleon had upon it.
The book does not center entirely on Napoleon. Markham relates that the history of Napoleon is the history of Europe as a whole, therefore background information on Napoleon's affect on Europe is also revealed. It also follows a chronological pattern, detouring only occasionally to provide the facts necessary. Napoleon begins with the future emperor's youth in Corsica. It goes on to provide information on various situations Napoleon faced such as the economy, foreign policy and of course military strategy.
Much of Markham's research stems from new information discovered as recent as 1952. Some of the new sources Markham lists in the preface are the second and third volumes of Bertrand's memoirs and letters from Marie-Louise to Napoleon and their son. The information discovered from these sources portrays Napoleon as a human being rather than the more popular version offered by most historians as a warmongering tyrant.
Throughout the book, Markham gives facts in an interesting narrative, but leaves opinion to the reader by showing good and bad sides, never forcing his view. At certain points in the book, Markham asks questions, encouraging the reader to form their own conclusions about the decisions Napoleon made. Numerous books have been written on Napoleon, many portraying bias either for or against him, depending usually on the origin of the writer. This unbiased account from a British scholar defies the idea that all British hate Napoleon. Markham presents praise as well as criticism for Napoleon.
As a supplement to the text, maps are provided to give the reader a better understanding of the European composition at the time as well as a couple of the more important campaigns. Unfortunately, these maps are not of the greatest quality. Due to the size print, many of the key points are illegible and therefore make the maps fairly useless. A page devoted to Napoleon's genealogy offers a visual aid, assisting the reader in keeping track of the many marriages, divorces and children mentioned in the book. Two appendices are also included. The first is a diagnosis of Napoleon's illness and hypothesis for the cause of his death. The second deals with the controversial death mask and whether it is authentic. This choice in format allows the text to flow free from interruptions while still covering the information located in the appendices.
Overall, Markham has provided a succinct, unbiased and well-written view of one the most famous military leaders in history. His style is easy to understand and allows the reader basic understanding of Napoleon and the history of the French after their revolution. This book should be used as an overview of this time period, but readers should consult other books in addition to Napoleon for a detailed account and better understanding of Napoleon.


Rating:
Summary: A Military History
Review: This may be a good book on military history. I am not a military historian, so I cannot attest to how sound Markham's research into that subject is. Just know what you are buying. There is almost nothing here about Napoleon as a person, not compared to most other biographies. And the social context which gave rise to Napoleon is not really explored here. I find the first two chapters of the book that deal with Napoleon's genealogy and his early years interesting and well-written. After that the book got too dense and the writing style rather pedestrian. Everything beyond the first chapter of the book is written for a specialist (a scholar who focuses on the 19th century or on military history). At the time of the publication the book received such glowing reviews that I cannot help but wonder what I missed here.