How the French Won Waterloo  or Thin..., Stephen Clarke
How the French Won Waterloo  or Thin..., Stephen Clarke
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How the French Won Waterloo - or Think They Did

Author: Stephen Clarke

Narrator: Justin Edwards

Unabridged: 5 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/02/2015


Synopsis

Published in the 200th Anniversary year of the Battle of Waterloo a witty look at how the French still think they won, by Stephen Clarke, author of 1000 Years of Annoying the French and A Year in the Merde.

Two centuries after the Battle of Waterloo, the French are still in denial.

If Napoleon lost on 18 June 1815 (and that's a big 'if'), then whoever rules the universe got it wrong. As soon as the cannons stopped firing, French historians began re-writing history. The Duke of Wellington was beaten, they say, and then the Prussians jumped into the boxing ring, breaking all the rules of battle. In essence, the French cannot bear the idea that Napoleon, their greatest-ever national hero, was in any way a loser. Especially not against the traditional enemy – les Anglais.

Stephen Clarke has studied the French version of Waterloo, as told by battle veterans, novelists, historians – right up to today's politicians, and he has uncovered a story of pain, patriotism and sheer perversion ...

About Stephen Clarke

Stephen Clarke is a British journalist and the internationally bestselling author of A Year in the Merde and In the Merde for Love, which describe the misadventures of Paul West in France, and Talk to the Snail, a hysterical look at understanding the French. He himself has lived in France for twelve years.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Chris on October 07, 2015

This is my second dip in the historical writings of Stephen Clarke and I enjoyed this one just as much as the last one ("1000 years"). Pretty sure it's the genetically programmed need to take the mikey out of the French.. it's weird that it comes so naturally! (Remember the google search thing where......more

Goodreads review by JEAN-PHILIPPE on August 15, 2015

Stephen Clerke a peut être suffisamment d'humour et de connaissances de l'Histoire de France pour nous faire sourire pendant quelques pages, mais surement pas assez pour ne pas retomber dès la moitié de son livre dans un French bashing des plus traditionnels chez les anglo-saxons. Basée sur son impr......more

Goodreads review by Noemi on February 05, 2021

A refreshing and quirky read soaked with entertaining irony. It was fun to explore the battle of Waterloo and Napoleon's whereabouts from a rather British perspective. I definitely learned a great deal of interesting things that are often overlooked in textbooks and history classes.......more

Goodreads review by Franciszek on September 29, 2025

Czyta się świetnie. Dzieło Clarke’a ma dość wyraźną tezę, ale wynikają z niej interesujące myśli, dotyczące obecnego kształtu Francji.......more

Goodreads review by Michał on August 27, 2017

Half billion pounds, is How much England has paid for fight with Napoleon, paying anyone who dare to help. To begin with, Napoleon's enthusiasts think even that God has send rain on times of battles Napoleon could not use his favourite weapon, artillery. At war, same as in love. To end you have to be in......more


Quotes

Indeed, as Stephen Clarke demonstrates in this cheeky book, they have spent two whole centuries 'indulging in outrageous denial' Daily Mail

Clarke’s tone is larky, but his outrageously readable work is based on extensive research, with a wealth of enticing detail. Daily Mail

This is Waterloo as stand-up, funny and caustic by turns BBC History Magazine