Napoleon, Paul Johnson
Napoleon, Paul Johnson
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

Napoleon

Author: Paul Johnson

Narrator: John Lee

Unabridged: 5 hr 52 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/27/2002


Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Paul Johnson, “a very readable and entertaining biography” (The Washington Post) about one of the most important figures in modern European history: Napoleon Bonaparte
 
In an ideal pairing of author and subject, the magisterial historian Paul Johnson offers a vivid look at the life of the strategist, general, and dictator who conquered much of Europe. Following Napoleon from the barren island of Corsica to his early training in Paris, from his meteoric victories and military dictatorship to his exile and death, Johnson examines the origins of his ferocious ambition. In Napoleon's quest for power, Johnson sees a realist unfettered by patriotism or ideology. And he recognizes Bonaparte’s violent legacy in the totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century. Napoleon is a magnificent work that bears witness to one individual's ability to work his will on history.

About The Author

Beginning with Modern Times (1985), Paul Johnson's books are acknowledged masterpieces of historical analysis. He is a regular columnist for Forbes and The Spectator, and his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Vishy on April 01, 2019

When I was wondering which book to read next, Paul Johnson's biography of Napoleon leapt at me. I have had this book for years, and so I thought maybe it was time to read it. There is good news and bad news. The good news first. Paul Johnson's book narrates the story of Napoleon from the time he was......more

Goodreads review by Jason on November 23, 2023

The Andrew Roberts Napoleon: A Life has been staring at me reproachfully from my shelf. I had the same experience American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer but had enough foresight to start it months before the movie. But it's now too late to read Roberts' tome before the......more

Goodreads review by Jeff on August 11, 2016

My review is addressed to others who have reviewed this book and found it too short or not detailed enough. What the hell were you expecting? The Penguin Lives series is not supposed to be a definitive set of authoritative biographies of eminent personages. The point of Penguin Lives (and other short......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on July 10, 2013

In terms of being an incredibly concise, straightforward, and well-paced primer on Napoleon, it succeeds. A great pity that the author allows his undercurrent of disgust at Napoleon's legacy to taint the tone of the prose. He tries to invoke Napoleon as the father of all the psychotic & mass-murderi......more

Goodreads review by Alex on January 27, 2024

Just what I was hoping for: a short bio of Napoleon. An aperitif for the Andrew Roberts much larger version that keeps bubbling up in my worlds.......more


Quotes

Praise for Napoleon by Paul Johnson:
 
“Paul Johnson . . . is a historian at the top his game. His judgments are sure. His historical range is sweeping. His storytelling is crisp and his writing elegant.”
The Baltimore Sun
 
“The selection of the venerable British historian . . . Paul Johnson to write on Napoleon . . . has turned out to be a wise one: Johnson is succinct, critical, and deeply skeptical of the Napoleonic legend.”
The Atlantic Monthly
 
“This is a jewel of a book; comprehensive, brief, and passionate.”
The Economist
 
“Johnson provides an excellent overview . . . [He] presents a concise appraisal of Napoleon’s career and a precise understanding of his enigmatic character.”
Booklist
 
“[A] succinct yet lively biography . . . very readable and entertaining.”
The Washington Post