Del Norte Public Library

"A crocodile seeks revenge on Napoleon for taking him from his home, but instead becomes the talk of Venice high society."--

Portrays the enigmatic character and incredible career of Napoleon Bonaparte, and describes the world he helped to fashion in the course of his ambitions.

Three-part study of Napoleon with the words of the man himself -- conversations, person letters, and public proclamations -- to give the reader an inside look at the self-crowned Emperor who conquered half of Europe. In the next section, those who actally knew Napoleon -- from his valet to Czar Alexander I -- provide eyewitness descriptions of Napoleon at work and at war, as a charismatic leader, a respected enemy, and a tough, even ruthless ruler....

In this gripping, authoritative account, Adam Zamoyski has drawn on the latest Russian research, as well as a vast pool of firsthand accounts in French, Russian, German, Polish, and Italian, to paint a vivid picture of the experiences of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conflict.

On the high seas, Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his co-adventurer, Dr. Stephen Maturin, chase a shipment of gold destined for Napoleon. The emperor has escaped from Elba and the gold would enable him to raise more troops.

The story of Napoleon has been written many times. In some versions, he is a military genius, in others a war-obsessed tyrant. Here, historian Adam Zamoyski cuts through the mythology and explains Napoleon against the background of the European Enlightenment, and what he was himself seeking to achieve. This most famous of men is also the most hidden of men, and Zamoyski dives deeper than any previous biographer to find him. Beautifully written, Napoleon...

Includes index