Napoleon - In a Nutshell

Starred review from August 1, 2011
Napoleon Bonaparte is undoubtedly one of the most famous historical figures of all time, and fitting even just the highlights of his accomplishments into a "nutshell" is a daunting task. He was a man so complex, his own secretary once said, "Each of us, without ceasing to be honest, can show a different Napoleon." Author Wenborn takes on this challenge by choosing mainly to focus on Napoleon's military battles and political achievements while providing only minimal insight into his personal life. Napoleon's great love, Josephine, for example, is given only a few brief mentions. Narrator Rupert Degas reads with a regal and dignified style worthy of the great French emperor. A good resource for listeners wanting a basic time line of Napoleon's major achievements; those wanting more intimate details on the man himself might want to look further.—Theresa Horn, St. Joseph Cty. P.L., South Bend, IN

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.