Customer Reviews

Napoleon's Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand

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A sympathetic biography of a statesman who was involved in French politics during the more interesting periods of that nation's history: the ancien regime, French Revolution, Directory, Napoleonic era, and restoration.
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand (1754-1838) was a controversial figure (arch betrayer or practical patriot, depending on one's viewpoint) who served his country in a diplomatic manner during the tumultuous periods listed above.
David Lawday's book provides the English reader with the relevant facts presented in a basically chronological manner. Many of Talleyrands's bons mots and anecdotes are included, and Mr. Lawday captures some of the statesman's style in his own prose.
Other books, such as those written by Duff Cooper (Talleyrand) and Crane Britton (The Lives of Talleyrand), deal with the life of the statesman, but Lawday's book focuses on the pivotal relationship he had with Napoleon Bonaparte. Talleyrand helped to foster the career of the young Corsican, encouraged Napoleon's autocratic leanings, but ultimately opposed the emperor's expansionist foreign policy. The dispute over France's place in European affairs eventually led to a conflict where Talleyrand supported Napoleon's foreign adversaries. Furthermore, after Bonaparte's military defeat and exile, Talleyrand encouraged the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy as a preferable alternative. Yet Lawday emphasizes the mutual respect and admiration that both men had for each other throughout their interwoven lives.
Napoleon's Master is a well-written, well researched book that can be enjoyed by those interested in French history, biography, diplomatic history, and political intrigue.
Paul W.

I have been fascinated with Talleyrand since reading Duff Cooper's biography on Talleyrand when I was in college. I look forward to a new biography on Talleyrand because Cooper's biography is a bit dated. I have to admit I was disappointed in Lawday's treatment of Talleyrand, not because he was overly harsh; rather he seemed to have lost his objectivity concerning the subject of the biography. Talleyrand was an opportunist, slimy and lacking a moral compass. He was guilty of high treason, even though he claimed, to be a patriot protecting France from Napoleon. It is still treason, why, because he was serving in the Government. He refused no monies or awards offered to him by Napoleon. One interesting aspect is that at one point, Talleyrand was soliciting funds from Alexander I. Could you imagine the uproars if a former US Secretary of State was soliciting fund from Putin to pay off their debts. Read "Rites of Peace" by Adam Zamoyski to obtain an unbiased view of Talleyrand. Is this a bad book, no, it is a very entertaining read. In the final analysis Talley was not the patriot. Lawday makes him out to be, nor was Napoleon the buffoon that was portrayed in the book. I anxiously a wait "Talleyrand: Betrayer and Saviour of France" by Robin Harris to see another version of Talleyrand's life.

I am writing this review on a fantastic book, and I'm not finished reading it. I expect to finish it within the next 24 hours, and can hardly put the book down. For years I've been intrigued by Talleyrand, but never bothered to delve further into his life. I concentrated, like many others, on Napoleon. However, this book changes my opinion of Napoleon, and turns Talleyrand into less of a "rascally fellow," but rather an astute politician diplomat who shaped the world from the French Revolution to today. The author quotes from primary sources (Napoleon and Talleyrand's words) and both have a contemporary feel. In fact, I've been making notes on Talleyrand's advice and social skills as he managed in difficult diplomatic times There are many scenes that the author includes--Talleyrand's putting up the deposed Spanish Royal family, and trying to get the young princes to "read," and his intriguing trip to America and a backwoods trip to upstate New York. Talleyrand was everywhere and saw almost everything. Even Napoleon regretted not taking his astute advice. Yet, at the heart of the man was his love of France, concern for Europe's balance of power, and peace.

In David Lawday's good but uneven biography "Napoleon's Master" there are in fact two subjects, one incomplete with the other. There is the subject and the hero of the book Prince Talleyrand, whom Mr. Lawdays insists was the consummate diplomat who would create eternal peace between the two inherent enemies Britain and France. Talleyrand's nemesis and the book's anti-hero is of course Napoleon, whose raison d'etre was war and his obsession was with Talleyrand.

The two were a study in contrasts, and David Lawday argued that when allied together the two were invincible. Talleyrand was the Parisian aristocrat disenchanted with the tyranny of the ancien regime if forever obsessed with its "civilization": the culture and the lifestyle. Napoleon was the provincial protege, whose heroism would win over the loyalty of his troops and the admiration of the French people before it morphed into war-mongering for the sake of war-mongering.

It is Lawday's contention that to save civilization and Europe, Talleyrand would engage in a series of intrigues that would ultimately bring down Napoleon. Ultimately, this thesis is both unconvincing and distracting from the main mesmerizing narrative of Napoleon's spectacular rise and descent. Prince Talleyrand was probably one of the most corrupt and shameless notables of world history, and in undermining Napoleon by sending secret missives to his enemies Talleyrand was perhaps more motivated by greed than by patriotism (Talleyrand probably thought he was "civilization," and as long as he did well so did "civilization"). More important, neither one man nor one nation could have brought down Napoleon. Napoleon rose and fell because he was a force of nature, a warrior who gambled relentlessly on the battlefield against overwhelming odds until his luck ran out. Just as Talleyrand was most natural and comfortable in his Parisian salon engaged in intrigue, Napoleon was most natural and comfortable on the battlefield risking his empire: their character decided their destinies.

The contrast between these two great men is so interesting that the book loses all life and momentum when the Allies march into Paris and force Napoleon's first exile to the island of Elba. Everything then is a denouement, but it's a long dismal denouement.

The book ultimately is a Talleyrand apologist's rendering of his life. It is most unconvincing and servile. Neither Talleyrand nor the author could understand why there was so much animosity and disgust directed at Talleyrand in his lifetime. The reasons were very real, but reality is no match for Talleyrand's rationalization. And that is the most profound skill that the author has learned from Talleyrand.

"Napoleon's Master" is one of the finest biographies I have ever read. Not only does it provide a clear view of one of the most fascinating actors in the history of his times and a fine view of the manners and mores of the period, it is very well written and a pleasure to read.

Talleyrand es un personaje controvertido, que vivió uno de los periodos más turbulentos en la historia de Europa.La caída del Antiguo Régimen, la llegada del Terror y,luego, la espectacular entrada en escena de Napoleón, sus guerras de talante épico y su dramática decadencia.
El Sr. Lawday logra cautivar con su elegante prosa, su conocimiento acabado del personaje y, lo que es aún más difícil, devolver a la vida al Príncipe de la diplomacia.