Customer Reviews

Napoleon: No. 1

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of all the books I have read on Napoleon, fact and ficiton, this is the best by far. Max Gallo has spectacular insight into the real person, not merely the legendary Emperor. This book perfectly captures the personality of Napoleon, constantly conveying a sense of restlessness - each time Napoleon achieves something he rejoices only briefly before he turns his gaze to the next task, never content, always driven to go to new heights. Gallo's writing style is unique, talking in present rather than past tense, as is the convention for novels. Nonetheless this is actually quite a bonus - it gives everything a sense of urgency and draws the reader in so one can feel that they are actually living the life of the emperor. A must read, whether a fan of Napoleonic history or not.

The review is for all I-IV of the Quartet:

If Napoleon could write his own memoirs in real time, this is what they would sound like... one really gets into the head of Napoleon. That is the gift of Max Gallo. Pulling this off in a quartet is something next to impossible -- and in translation?? -- well Gallo has done it! If you are interested in knowing how great people think, this is as close as one can come. The Napolean we meet is one of both human and mythic in equal proportion. His overriding sense of justice and the new age that he brings sometimes gives rist to excesses, but at other times one is amazed at his ability to apportion justice, forgive and see himself in humble terms.

The book offers a look at the life of the man, so we spend about as much time thinking about things as Napoleon did: there are no long treatises on Austerlitz, Wagram, Leipzig or Moscow. These were pivotal events in the life of the world and influences Napoleon, but one must realise that the amount of book space allocated to Austerlitz is about 15 pages of about 1500 in the total quartet -- probably about the same amount of time that Austerlitz occupied in Napoleon's life.

So if you are looking for an over-emphasis on the military events this is not so much the book to read. The real strenght is in the ability to marvel at the thought processes of this great historical leader -- how he reaches conclusions, right or wrong on important issues.

I have read 3 of the 4 so far. They have not dissapointed.

Well, this is another rare 5-star novel which I HIGHLY recommend for everybody who enjoys reading history or historical fiction books. Actually, it is a MUST-READ book.

In this novel, Napoleon is alive and well. He became of what he became because of partly circumstances and his own nature. It started with Napoleon at 9, and already France's army general at his early 20s. His fondness (or craziness) of Josephine is also blossoming.

His early campaigns on France's neighbors are excellent. If Gallo had detailed those campaigns, I would think the book's pages will certainly double. Gallo is a story teller like Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow. He did a bit of strategic warfare telling in this novel, but not close to Steven Pressfield's detailed war strategies. However, Max Gallo's style is actually preferrable, rather than going into too much detail on an issue.

A highly recommended novel for everyone. I will get the remaining 3 novels on this Napoleon quartet by Gallo at all costs!

One of my college history professors told me about Max Gallo's work when I mentioned my passion for Napoleon Bonaparte. Max Gallo combines details with carefully researched facts to create a compelling and rich story of the Corsican who rose in politics to be one of the greatest military masterminds. Gallo covers nearly every aspect of Napoleon's life, from his siblings and relatives to his childhood in France, when he knew hardly any French.
Not a light read, however, but if you're looking for a great book on the life of Napoleon, pick this one up. You won't regret it.

The news stands and bookstores of France have featured a display of one or more of Max Gallo's psychological fictions from the internal perspective of Napoleon for most of the last ten years. There is no question this extensive psychological narrative takes a high rank in the genre of Napoleonic fiction. The work is a must for any Francophile or Napoleonic history enthusist.

I rate this work as four stars and that means I have a strong positive opinion that the work is a significant original contribution to our knowledge and enjoyment of the Napoleonic Age. I reserve my five star ratings for only the greatest novels such as "War and Peace" and the "Charterhouse of Parma" which not only advance our appreciation of the Napoleonic Age, but also rank among the greatest works of all time regardless of genre or topic.

"The Song of Departure" begins with the birth and childhood of Napoleon and concludes after his return from Egypt and on the eve of the coupe d'tat of 18-19 Brumaire (November 11, 1799) at St. Cloud. Over half of the book is consumed by events leading up to, and including, the siege of Toulon. Since each of the four books consists of approximately 400 pages, the coverage allotted to the formative years of Napoleon takes up as much as 12% of the entire work. This is important because it reveals how much emphasis Gallo places on showing the reader the inner life of Napoleon the individual.

Most other authors would gloss over the early life of Napoleon and develop more details of Rivoli, Marengo, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau or Friedland. But, in fact, Gallo gives no more detail of these momentous battles in total than it takes to fill one chapter of his accounts of Napoleon's stay at the Briene Military Academy.

Nevertheless, I think this is purposeful and extremely useful. The telling and retelling of the great events of the Napoleonic Age has been done in many places. What we need, and perhaps the only thing truly additive, from the works of fiction in this genre is a personal perspective on events that allows us to comprehend events as if we ourselves were present to partake of that small fragment of great events each person holds title to.

Another reason to read Gallo with enthusiasm is to bring the man Napoleon out of the shadows of history and into perspective among the people and events of his age. In almost all historical and fictional accounts, Napoleon is a stage prop. He is bigger than, or at least as big as, the events himself and he is only a shadow in or over the story.

Obviously, this was never really the case in real times. What Gallo does for us and for Napoleon is to show a plausible portrayal of how it may have truly been, just as Napoleon claimed himself, that he was made by "the course of things" rather than the other way around.

There is no doubt Napoleon was a talented and intelligent human being, but Gallo shows us how Napoleon's choices and preparations became aligned with the course of events in such a way that he was uniquely swept along by them. Then, as is now, there is no doubt than many thousands of young men were similarly inspired in their schooling and exposed to opportunity in the events of the day; but, only he was chosen. Only he stood in the one available spot to be swept by random forces into the updraft of history. He was wise enough to know this and careful enough to repeat it often.

It would be one thing if Gallo was merely making up the story from his imagination, but he is not. Gallo's perspective is only imaginary in the way he weaves his interior perspective of Napoleon into the fabric of the external events. Otherwise, however, he is repeating back to us the fragments of the many thousands of pieces of personal correspondence and public statements that Napoleon authored.

A comprehensive understanding of the Napoleonic Age can be developed from four interacting levels of study: First, through the study of systematic historical analysis; second, though the first hand observation of the places that provided the stage for the historical events; third by examining the first hand accounts of the events handed down by those who were present; and finally, by considering the imaginative portrayal of the times by the writers of fiction.

Gallo has contributed greatly to advancement of our knowledge and appreciation of the Age of Napoleon by contributing directly to the last category of study. The fact remains, however, that he has added greatly to the totality of our knowledge because he has woven all of the levels of study into a form that is exciting to read for the experience -- as much as for any other reason.

My advice is to read the Gallo books in order and to read them syntopically with other related works. If you are already steeped in the factual record of the Napoleonic Age you do not need this approach and you can breeze though the books recognizing all the familiar people and sign posts of the epoch. But, if you are new to the subject, I recommend you acquire David Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" and Tolstoy's "War and Peace" and read them all serially and in parallel. First, stake out the Napolenic timeline from 1769 to 1840 and read Chandler up to a critical breakpoint, then read Gallo to the same point, then work in Tolstoy as you go before repeating successive cycles to the next milestone.

While this will be an ambitious undertaking, it will also be a rewarding one. I would say this will take about six months of very active reading. If you make it, you will be as conversant and insightful about the Napoleonic Age as all but a few of the most devoted students and readers of the genre.

For futher orientation and direction please enjoy browsing my reading lists and complementary reviews.