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Rating: 
Summary: captures the spirit of Napoleonic France
Review: Most of the time when you find something this interesting covering an historical period, it turns out to be 'faction' a la Michener. The fun part about Delderfield is that this is *true*.The foot soldiers and horsemen of Napoleonic France were good, to be sure, but it was their leadership that shaped their character. Delderfield gives a fair account of them all, in their finest hours and weakest moments, and enables the reader to consider what it might have been like to follow such men to war. None are overglorified and none are overmaligned. Ney is present with skill, naivete and honour. Massena's piercing eyes coolly look over advancing grenadiers and heaps of plunder. Augereau begins as a lion and ends as a mouse. Lannes fears nothing and no one. The Emperor is irascible but has that special touch that drew men to his side and held them. To be French and to read this book would surely evoke national and cultural pride, and it would be small-minded indeed to quarrel that a descendant of France's arch-enemies of the period wrote it. He did them fine justice. If, to you, war is Napoleon, then you simply must dig up a copy, even if you must charge into grapeshot to get it.
Rating:
Summary: captures the spirit of Napoleonic France
Review: Most of the time when you find something this interesting covering an historical period, it turns out to be 'faction' a la Michener. The fun part about Delderfield is that this is *true*. The foot soldiers and horsemen of Napoleonic France were good, to be sure, but it was their leadership that shaped their character. Delderfield gives a fair account of them all, in their finest hours and weakest moments, and enables the reader to consider what it might have been like to follow such men to war. None are overglorified and none are overmaligned. Ney is present with skill, naivete and honour. Massena's piercing eyes coolly look over advancing grenadiers and heaps of plunder. Augereau begins as a lion and ends as a mouse. Lannes fears nothing and no one. The Emperor is irascible but has that special touch that drew men to his side and held them. To be French and to read this book would surely evoke national and cultural pride, and it would be small-minded indeed to quarrel that a descendant of France's arch-enemies of the period wrote it. He did them fine justice. If, to you, war is Napoleon, then you simply must dig up a copy, even if you must charge into grapeshot to get it.
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