Waterloo: The Hundred Days (Battles and Histories) [Paperback]

David Chandler (Author)

Book Description

Series: Battles and Histories | Publication Date: October 15, 1997

The Battle of Waterloo is one of the most decisive encounters in history. Wellington's victory marked the end of the career of one of the greatest leaders of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte: it also signalled a crucial change in the balance of power in Europe that was to have critical consequences for the rest of the world. Yet the story of Napoleon's return from Elba and his dramatic seizure of power - even if for a mere 'hundred days' - is more than just the dry bones of history; it is a great adventure story. The author provides a blow-by-blow account of the battle itself and examines key aspects such as the organisation of both the French and the Allied armies, their tactics, strategy and weaponry, and their commanders' personalities.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Written by acknowledged experts and illustrated to the highest Osprey standards, books in the Battles and Histories series provide new insights into the century's major clashes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (October 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855327163
• ISBN-13: 978-1855327160
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.6 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good overview but.........., February 24, 2001

By 

W. B. Smith (Auckland New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Waterloo: The Hundred Days (Battles and Histories) (Paperback)

I must admit I enjoyed reading this book when I first obtained it, but upon revisiting it my opinion has somewhat waned. The reason being is that I have since read Peter Hofschroer's work which was an excellent example of painstaking research and detail. Chandler's work now seems lightweight.

Chandler's book is good if you are looking for an overview of the events leading up Waterloo, Napoleonic tactics and strategy and the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. The book makes lavish use of maps and prints which are very clear and a delight to the eye , but unfortunately it falls short in providing a very accurate and detailed account of the battles.

This is certainly a good buy if all you are seeking is an overview, but if you are familiar with the Battle of Waterloo you maybe looking for something more substantial. ( This review refers to a hard cover 1981 edition )

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick dash through 100 days, August 4, 2001

By 

Richard P Marsden (Scottsdale, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Waterloo, the Hundred Days (Hardcover)

While many tout this book as "lightweight" or "lacking" I find it to be superb. A book is not always meant to be an exhaustive comprehensive massive tome. David G Chandler has proven he can do that in his "The Campaigns of Napoleon" work. His piece about Waterloo is a wonderful quick overview of the 100 days campaign with indeed a focus on the British. Unlike Chandler's famous "The Campaigns of Napoleon", this book expresses Chandler's opinions about what was important about Waterloo and its long term effects, which in essence is his summation of the long term effects of the Napoleonic Era since Waterloo marked the end of it. Where as in his larger works Chandler has no time to express himself, in this short overview of Waterloo he does, making the book very engaging. His opinion about the importance of Lingy and Quatre Bras, deserves special note. Not a "must" have, but definatly a success in what it was intended to do.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An overview of the battle which ended Napleon's career., June 15, 2004

By 

Kevin M Quigg (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Waterloo: The Hundred Days (Battles and Histories) (Paperback)

This is a great book for the novice historian since it explains the battle with maps and explanations of all three sides (British, French, and Prussian). Not only is the battle explained, but brief biographies of all the major players in this drama are also included. One can get an idea of why this battle was waged the way it was because of all these descriptions. Chandler is very fair to all sides in this battle as he describes the conduct of the campaign. One of the previous reviewers attributes him being British as taking the British perspective, but I don't believe this to be true. Chandler describes the battle from all perspectives.
This is a great introductory book of the battle. It is a summary, but not an in depth story of the battle. The pictures, maps, short biographies, make this a very good read of the Waterloo battle.