Patrick Rambaud for Grasset Inspired by Balzac's plans to write a historical novel on the battle of Aspern-Essling Patrick Ramburd has done just that. He won the Prix Goncourt with this jolly novel. Using two historical characters (Lejeune and Stendael) and a number of others who blunder through the fight this is a spirited attempt at visiting the reality of battle. Massena strides about looting and then behaving as a hero. Lannes dies while Bessieres fumes. Napoleon snaps at everyone and curses in Italian. The book is now available in English translation. I'll reserve final judgement until I see if I understood it in French! More Old Duffer's Book Corner (book reviews) Slim: The Standardbearer Troupes de Marine L'Armée de Napoleon III (2) La Bataille Sardinian Brigade Napoléon Et Ses Soldats (de Wagram A Waterloo) The Napoleonic Wars 1803-1815 Haig's Command Husaria: The Winged Horsemen A Close Run Thing Warfare in Atlantic Africa 1500-1800 The Holy Land The Little Bighorn Campaign The Napoleon Options Pallas Armata Marengo and Hohenlinden: Napoleon's Rise to Power Book Review. Back to Perfidious Albion #101 Table of Contents Back to Perfidious Albion List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Charles and Teresa Vasey. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com