About this book
Napoleon: A Life follows Napoleon Bonaparte from his boyhood in Corsica through his rise in the Revolutionary army, his seizure of power, his years as emperor and his final defeat and exile on St Helena. It covers both the military campaigns that made his name and the civil reforms, such as the legal code, that outlasted him.
Andrew Roberts made extensive use of Napoleon's letters, which give the book an intimate sense of how its subject thought, worked and governed. Roberts is an admirer, and he presents Napoleon as a gifted administrator and commander rather than simply a warmonger, while still describing the enormous human cost of his wars. Readers will find plenty to agree or argue with.
Roberts writes clearly about battles, which helps the military chapters stay readable for non-specialists. For the upheaval that made Napoleon's career possible, read Citizens first; for another Roberts biography of a wartime leader, try Churchill: Walking with Destiny.
Who it’s for
Best for readers who enjoy big biographies and military history; long but clear and engaging.
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