Napoleon

By: H.A.L. Fisher

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Between 1796 and 1815, the continent of Europe was held in thrall by one of the most remarkable personalities of modern times, a man whose name was on the lips of every man, woman, and child: Napoleon Bonaparte. Certainly, one would have to go back to the time of Charlemagne to find his equal on the field of battle, in the halls of diplomacy, or in the courts of jurisprudence.

Napoleon not only remade France, he remade it to suit his own personal preferences. Although not himself a revolutionary, Napoleon was nevertheless determined to wipe away the stultifying remnants of the ancient regime once and for all and to replace it with a society firmly grounded on republican principles...at least outwardly. The fact of the matter was, Napoleon played the role of a tyrant. And although he spoke on behalf of the common man, his ultimate bequest to the people of France was a prolonged war stretching from the Iberian peninsula to the streets of Moscow, from the farmland of Holland to the Nile River, and leaving behind the greatest carnage ever known up to that time. His wars were terrifying. And yet, we are still fascinated to this day by the incredible energy, resourcefulness, and sheer brilliance of his military strategy.

With precision and panache, H. A. L. Fisher has written the definitive short biography of Napoleon, a book still treasured by historians and scholars to this day, and a work that still holds a prominent place in any bibliography of the Corsican. Written only 97 years after Waterloo, this classic biography remains the best of its type: a succinct, concise portrait of an egotistical genius whose powerful will directed the course of world events for an entire generation. Even to this day, the name Napoleon still gives rise to conflicting emotions.

©2004 Audio Connoisseur

Can't Audible Find a GOOD book on Napoleon?

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A lot less overacting. It's a book, not a documentary video. Another reader might have helped--maybe the guy who read the book Making Rounds with Oscar.

Would you be willing to try another one of Charlton Griffin’s performances?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I expect I shall have nightmares for some time about this reader--decked in full British General's regalia--holding forth on the dangerous Bonaparte.

What character would you cut from Napoleon?

The story of Napoleon is not at fault. History IS--or was.

For Well Researched Enthusiasts

This was great factually but not a pictoral biography of Napoleon's personality. If you are not acquianted with Napoleonic history... this will be difficult to digest as there is little context to the significance or context of events just a mere account of said events.

It's Like Reading Carlyle

The rolling periods and circumlocutions of the writing give this biography an old-fashioned narrative flow that is difficult to follow. It is like hearing a reading of Thomas Carlyle on the French Revolution. The enthusiasm of the writer comes through, and devotées of the matter will have no trouble paying attention; but if you don't know the basic story already, this biography of Napoleon will be hard going.

I'm sorry that Audible does not have a better, short biography available. The one by Vincent Cronin would be very suitable and accessible for the casual listener.

Disappointing

Disappointing overall. The book is largely focused on the dry facts of Napoleon's life with little insight into the inside workings of the man.

good but somehow light book on Napoleon

the book is a good one but in my opinion neither and historical solid book (facts) neither a good biography. to me it seems in between the two which makes it somehow shallow.

A very good short biography

I was attracted to this biography because I like the narrator and because this was a short work, not because I like Napoleon. Napoleon is important in our history, however, and it seemed imperative to me that I should know a little more about him than what I learned in college history. But this is NOT a comprehensive history that hangs on every last event in Napoleon's life. It is a very broad overview of his career and the times in which he lived. The nittty gritty details of battles and strategy are not here. Which was okay with me. I discovered that the book was written around 1900 and that it is highly regarded among historians. That said, you have to pay attention. This is NOT one of those recordings to while away a dreary afternoon with. As a means of getting a really good grasp of the meaning of Napoleon and his impact on European and world history, it is great. If you're looking for military history and strategy, you'll probably want something in depth. The book has a style that may render it unpalatable to some people, so you'd better listen carefully to the sample before you bite. For my money it was worth it.

Nothing special

I liked hearing and learning more about Napoleon but this book just didn't do it for me.

Good perform. but annoying French pronunciation

What made the experience of listening to Napoleon the most enjoyable?

The book is very good and the reading enjoyable in general. I just regret the made up French pronunciation of names and places.

Rather Arrogant

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This is not a primer on Napoleon by far. The author assumes the reader has a great deal of esoteric knowledge, which is very frustrating.The annoying and distracting music at the start of every chapter should be done away with.Every now and then, reverb or echo is added to the narrator's voice to emphasize Napoleon's thoughts. This is rather annoying as well. I picture the narrator leaning over and speaking into a large trashcan at these moments.

Would you be willing to try another book from H.A.L. Fisher? Why or why not?

Yes. I like H.A.L. Fisher's prose a great deal, the problem I have is with his assumption that I am thoroughly familiar with his subject, which I am not, which is why I bought the book. I will need to find another book on Napoleon so I can better follow the esotericism of this book. This asks the question, "Why am I reading this book?"

Would you be willing to try another one of Charlton Griffin’s performances?

Yes. I hope he does not use the extra music or the echo/reverb effect.

The usual British biased opinion

Unfortunately, this added nothing new to my knowledge on Bonaparte, and it runs in the usual mill of the English speaking worldview upon him. I would say give this title a pass. Try reading the book by Gallo on Bonaparte instead.