The Age of Napoleon

This is a solid study for those interested in learning about the Napoleonic Age, but necessarily about Napoleon's military exploits. This study predominantly focuses on the social and cultural aspects of Napoleon's rule, with a smattering of military history here and there. This is the second book I......more

Napoleon Bonaparte cast a long shadow over history, considering the relative slightness of his origins. Who would expect a boy from a conquered island to rise to the height of power and command one of the greatest empires in history, and leave a legacy even grander? Alistair Horne's contribution to......more

Despite the intention of the author, this is still a by and large military history/biography, and a short one at that. The few chapters that deal with the culture and the everyday life in France are short and sparse, although illuminating. I expected the book would cover Napoleon's influence outside......more

I’m sure this would be a very good read for people that know enough about Napoleon to recognize the people and battles mentioned in the novel but for someone that doesn’t, it was hard to get through this and I have already forgotten about 90% of what I read. I was hoping this would talk more about h......more

Review from [URL not allowed]-a-big-deal/. The Age of Napoleon by Alistair Horne. This book does a very readable job of looking at the influence of Napoleon. The famous battles -- Austerlitz, Trafalgar, Wagram and all -- are mentioned but not discussed in detail. Th......more