On a recent visit to the bookshops of Hay on Wye I acquired a couple of Napoleon biographies. Not my main focus but I've picked a few up over the years. Adding them to my book app, I thought I'd create a tab and bring the scattered books together.
My questions are:
Are any of these among your favourites?
Are there any that I've missed that you would recommend to me?
Life and times:
Asprey
Barnett
Broers
Browning
Caradice
Cronin
Dywer
Everett
Lefebvre
McLynn
Rivoire
Roberts
Somerset de Chair
Zamoyski
Books on aspects of Napoleon:
Bartoletti (Elba Residences)
Becke (Waterloo)
Campbell (Elba)
Coote (100 days)
Collectif par Michel (La Berline et butin de Waterloo)
Esdaile (France and Waterloo)
Houssaye (Waterloo)
Johnston (Words)
Richardson (Death)
Macaulay (Restoration and Bourbons)
Mackenzie (Escape from Elba)
Mansel (Imperial Court)
Markham (St Helena)
Marshall-Cornwall (Military Command)
Nester (Leadership)
Smith (Decline and Fall)
Thompson (Letters)
Any advice greatfully received.
Yours ever,
David
Of the biographies listed I'd suggest Lefebvre. I like Cronin for someone who knows nothing about Napoleon- it's a good starting point and would encourage the reader to want to know more. Not on the list is Patrice Gueniffey, a good new biography, but only the first volume is published so far.
I’d suggest Campaigns of Napoleon, David Chandler and The Road to Revolution, Martin Boycott-Brown.