What are the good books about Napoléon?

[Nostromo]

I've been reading "Le rouge et le noir" (The Red and the Black) by Stendhal. The story takes place during the Restauration in France. It tells the story of Julian Sorel, a man coming from humble origins, and how he "made it to the top", so to speak. Sorel is a huge fan of Napoléon. I was wondering, what are the good historical books about Napoléon? I was thinking of getting Max Gallo's books, but wasn't sure if they were good or not.

[DAVOUT]

Re: What are the good books about Napoléon?

Originally posted by nostromo
I've been reading "Le rouge et le noir" (The Red and the Black) by Stendhal. The story takes place during the Restauration in France. It tells the story of Julian Sorel, a man coming from humble origins, and how he "made it to the top", so to speak. Sorel is a huge fan of Napoléon. I was wondering, what are the good historical books about Napoléon? I was thinking of getting Max Gallo's books, but wasn't sure if they were good or not.

You certainly know that the left wing has not a high opinion of Napoléon, and Max Gallo was advisor to Mitterrand in 1983; to his credit, he left the following year. Therefore I was expecting a biography as biased as a leftist can do.
I was suprised that his book is a very honest story describing Napoléon's life with the eyes of the hero, and without the prejudices of our time. So you will have a picture of all events necessary to understand why he acted like he did, but not the inumerable details that increase the volume of other biographies. Worthwile for understanding the man, not to accumulate details.

[Nostromo]

OK, I think I'll read it.

Another question. I saw a French TV program a while back. It was fairly old and done in black & white. Probably done in the fifties or the sixties. The presentator was very critical of Napoléon. He was an historian and a member of the Académie française, IIRC. Do you have any idea what was the show and who was the presentator?

[DAVOUT]

Alain Decaux, historian and member of the Académie Française, made several successful series of TV program titled "La tribune de l'Histoire", and " La Caméra Explore Le Temps" and "Alain Decaux raconte". He was also presenting the program, and directing the discussion with other historians. He is not known as a ferocious critic of Napoléon, and some other historian invited in his programs might have been more critical than him. But even the greatest admirers of the "Petit Caporal", and I am a member of this cohorte, recognize that he took also some very bad decisions.

[Nostromo]

It could be him.

Well, I started to read the first book in Gallo's series. Pretty gripping stuff so far. But I didn't know it was an historical novel... So I'm constantly asking myself: "is Gallo making this up or not?" So far, Gallo strikes me as an apologist. So much so that, at times, his book is dangerously close to being a hagiography, IMO.

[Wycoff]

I read Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life, by Alan Schom a few years ago and enjoyed it. I'm a neophyte to French history, though, so this book might not be indepth enough for a serious student of French history.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by nostromo
It could be him.

Well, I started to read the first book in Gallo's series. Pretty gripping stuff so far. But I didn't know it was an historical novel... So I'm constantly asking myself: "is Gallo making this up or not?" So far, Gallo strikes me as an apologist. So much so that, at times, his book is dangerously close to being a hagiography, IMO.

I understand your opinion, but I though impossible for Gallo to make an hagiography; my explanation was that Gallo wanted the reader to see Napoléon's life through Napoléon eyes and mind.

[Nostromo]

Ah, OK. It kinda makes sense when you put it that way. But I wonder why he didn't he use the first person, like, say, Mailer's "The Gospel according to the son"...