Napoleon's Road to Glory:
Triumphs, Defeats and Immortality
Book Review:
reviewed by John G. Gallaher, USA
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Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the compelling figures in the annals of history. Thousands of books have been written about the man, his contemporaries and the events that were shaped by his life. David Markham now presents us with a compelling biography of the man who rose from lesser Corsican nobility to become the Emperor of the French. He was both loved and hated in his own time, and historians and writers over the past two hundred years have found it most difficult, if not impossible, to be objective in their approach to the man and the period of history that he dominated. Markham has written a good concise biography of Napoleon that is historically accurate and captures the essence of the man. He is fundamentally sympathetic with respect to his subject without being totally seduced by the legends that have grown up about the "Great Man." While praising his accomplishments on the battlefield, his organizational abilities, the foresight of the "Napoleonic" Code and his tolerance of the Islam and the Arab population on his Egyptian Campaign, etc., Markham is also quick to criticize his weaknesses and mistakes. Napoleon's Road to Glory is much more than a military biography of Napoleon. Markham has produced a well-rounded picture of the man: the general, the lawgiver, the administrator and the lover. The author's insight into Napoleon's relationships with his family, Josephine, his marshals and members of his court provide interesting and enjoyable reading. The book is well written and contains a good bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The extensive index makes it easy for the reader to find information on individuals and events. It will be enjoyable reading for anyone interested in the Napoleonic era. Gallaher is President Napoleonic Alliance, Professor Emeritus of History, Southern Illinois Univer-sity at Edwardsville. Author of, The Iron Mar-shal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout; Napoleon’s Irish Legion; General Alexandre Dumas: Soldier of the French Revolution. Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire # 72 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |
by J. David Markham