| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A+ for concept, C for execution,
By "limespider" (Littleton, CO USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Dreams of Empire: Napoleon and the First World War, 1792-1814 (Hardcover)
I read somewhere that there were over 100,000 books about the Napoleonic Wars, most of which focus on...that's right, Napoleon. There are a reasonable number on Wellington and Nelson, as well as the usual campaign specific texts. But very little has been written about the war outside of Europe or about how the Napoleonic Wars were truly a worldwide conflict. When I first heard of Fregosi's book I bought it instantly.One of the difficulties in writing a book of this nature is the lack of resources. Most of the primary sources are long out of print and many of the conflicts outside of Europe were not well documented in the first place. I commend Fregosi's attempt but there simply isn't much that can be said with authority about the battle for Senegal, the attack on Djakarta, or the raid on Manila. I'm fascinated by these more obscure engagements and how they have affected our world but the outcome in this case is a rather disjointed book that never quite flows. I often enjoyed this book and there are sections that go into far more depth, such as the British siege of Toulon. Furthermore, Fregosi has been absolutely complete in at least touching on every venue of the Napoleonic conflict and this encourages one to delve further into other sources insofar as they are available. However, the final nail in the coffin, that which made me give this book three stars, was the authors inability to refrain from making a personal jab at Reagan and Thatcher in the epilogue. After reading along for hundreds of pages in the historian's frame of mind, this barb unexpectedly comes out of left field and leaves me wondering what other bias has crept into Fregosi's book. As much as I liked the concept, you would be better served going elsewhere for a more rigorous and better documented history of the extra-European aspects of the Napoleonic Wars.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strongly recomended,
By
This review is from: Dreams of Empire: Napoleon and the First World War, 1792-1814 (Hardcover)
Overall this is a charming book. The author writes with a wit and style that adds liveliness and readability without detracting from the quality of the scholarship or the seriousness of the material. I found it as engaging as many good works of historical fiction.
The previous review makes a legitimate criticism that the narrative is disjointed, and the treatment is of uneven depth. However I don't know that a better job is possible given the nature of the material. To my knowledge this is the best, and perhaps the only, book to attempt a comprehensive treatment of the non-European campaigns of the Napoleonic era. If one requires rigorous scholarship on this largely neglected topic, one may discard the text and take the bibliography alone as a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge. In short, essential for any Napoleonic or Colonial scholar or enthusiast, and a great choice for an entertaining read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential addition to the history of the Napoleonic wars,
By
This review is from: Dreams of Empire: Napoleon and the First World War, 1792-1814 (Hardcover)
This is one of the best books I have read on the Napoleonic era. Although I believe the first world war to be the Seven Years war Fergosi compelling argues how the Napoleonic wars engulfed the world. From the Caribbean to Europe, to America to Australia the forces of Europe clashed and brought destruction across the globe to stop the man from Corsica. The struggle for empire between the British and the French is very clearly seen and well analyzed. It is very easy to read and whether you are a beginner or an avid expert of Napoleon this is an excellent book. This is an essential addition to any Napoleonic library. Highly recommend as one of the two great books I have read on Napoleon (out of some 70 books).
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
