News:

Napoleon:
How He Did It

by Proctor Jones

by Russ Lockwood


Greenhill Books sent the following press release--RL.

Proctor Jones, author of the phenomenal NAPOLEON: AN INTIMATE ACCOUNT OF THE YEARS OF SUPREMACY 1800-1814, has created his own publishing imprint 'Proctor Jones Publishing' for books on the Napoleonic epoch, and which will be distributed internationally by Greenhill.

The first book will be a translation of the Memoirs of Baron Fain, entitled NAPOLEON: HOW HE DID IT.

Leading French Napoleonic scholar Jean Tulard (Member of the Institute of France, Professor at the Sorbonne, etc) introduces the book saying:

'Here are the finest memoirs written on the organization of Napoleon's cabinet and the work of the Emperor at the height of the Empire.

From 1806 Fain is never far from Napoleon, by night or by day. He takes down orders and letters in dictation, and organizes his achives when he is not writing. What Napoleon appreciates in him is that Fain is greedy neither for honours nor for money. In 1813 he takes Meneval's place as the Emperor's personal secretary.

Everything passes through Fain ...

If Fain is noteworthy, it is because in his memoirs he describes with precision and accuracy the functioning of the imperial cabinet. His book ends with a portrait of Napoleon which avoids idealisation without descending to malicious tale-telling...

With these memoirs it becomes evident that Fain was one of the great figures of the period, remaining modestly in the shadows, and that his testimony is of the essence.'

Dr. Jones' publications for the new publishing imprint is to provide important eye witness source material of the Napoleonic epoch, for the first time, in English, to assist young scholars who are beginning their studies and research into this period.

He claims that an enormous amount of material which looks as if it were passed as important source material has actually been written by detractors of Napoleon whose authority is questionable.

Jones says 'in the face of today's international problems the earlier ideas of Napoleon Bonapart as first council and emperor of the French are important to investigate. For example, Napoleon early on understood the economic advantages of a united Europe. Had his ideas been followed, it is highly possible that the reasons for the wars of 1870, 1914, and 1939 would not have existed.'

The first three of Dr. Jones' books will illustrate the manner in which Napoleon worked. He says 'they illustrate his far reaching and constructive intellect. In his genius he also maintained himself as an approachable human being. He listened, he took advice, he acted without hesitation. In his administrative affairs as in the execution of his military planning, he went over the ground thoroughly seeking the paths to successful implementation of his plans. As he said himself, he then spent even more time to understand what would happen if his planning failed.'

Dr. Jones is the Honorary President of the Napoleonic Alliance (USA) and a member of the Souvenir Napoleonien in Paris and Vice President of the International Napoleonic Society.

He has a large library of works on Napoleon's life and history, and a collection of memorabilia, including wallpaper from the room in which Napoleon died.

NAPOLEON: HOW HE DID IT is distributed in the United States through:

    Stackpole Books
    5067 Ritter Road
    Mechanicsburg, PA 17053-6921
    $39.95

and internationally by

    Greenhill Books
    Park House
    1 Russell Gardens
    London NW11 9NN
    £24.95

NAPOLEON: HOW HE DID IT is 6" x 9" and has 225 pages.

Come and see us at the Military Book Show, Friday 29th May (10am to 3.30pm) at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.

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