Napoleon

November 1, 1999
Some 200 years ago, when Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed of himself, "I am not a man, I am a historical figure," he probably suspected the profound influence his life and deeds would have on Europe's society, culture, government, and military history. Now, in one massive volume, Nicholls--a scholar, university lecturer, and historian of the Napoleonic era--addresses all aspects of Napoleon as a soldier, politician, administrator, emperor, and revolutionary, including the people, places, and events he affected directly or indirectly. The 343 A-to-Z entries cover everything from well-known biographical data, battles, and personalities to more obscure entries covering Napoleon's scandalous sister Pauline, the Opera Plot assassination attempt, and the wacky Malet Conspiracy. The entries are short and concise, but each also identifies related entries and offers scholarly suggestions for further reading. Complemented nicely by Napoleonic documents, a chronology, and a comprehensive bibliography, this polished and well-constructed effort will serve as an easy-to-use reference for students. Recommended for all public and academic libraries.--William D. Bushnell, USMC (ret.), Brunswick, ME

Copyright 1999 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2000
Gr 9 Up-An alphabetically arranged encyclopedia of people, places, and events related to the French emperor. The entries range in length from one paragraph to one page and include references to related topics plus reading suggestions. Black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout the text, but-surprisingly-there are no maps. While thorough and scholarly, Napoleon will be of little interest to high school students. The writing is stodgy and presupposes familiarity with French history (particularly the 1789 Revolution). There are several internal inconsistencies, and the entries are often repetitious. Cross-references to names of individuals, battles, and treaties are inadequate. An encyclopedia entry or solid biography, such as Bob Carroll's Napoleon Bonaparte (Lucent, 1994) will probably satisfy the information needs of most students.-Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2000
The aim of this new entry in the publisher's Biographical Companions series is to put Napoleon "in the broadest possible context, in terms of his place in the making of modern France and the reshaping of Europe."The volume begins with a lengthy essay on Napoleon and his importance in history. The remainder of the volume consists of entries in a traditional alphabetical format, beginning with "Abdication, first (April 1814)" and ending with "Yorck von Wartenburg, Johann David Ludwig, Count (1759^-1830)," the Prussian general. Coverage is given to Napoleon the politician, the ruler, the soldier, the revolutionary, the administrator, the dynast, and the myth. There are entries for people ("Alexander I, Tsar of Russia; Stael, Germaine de), "places ("Elba, Spain)," events ("Essling, Battle of; " "Vienna, Congress of "), and other aspects of Napoleon's career and times ("Censorship, Empire style, Industry, Romanticism). "Each entry ranges in length from several paragraphs to several pages. All have cross-references to related headings and a bibliography for further reading.A third section of the book contains primary source material that includes excerpts from Napoleon's memoirs and proclamations, assessments of his personality provided by two of his most determined contemporary opponents, and excerpts from army newspapers about his almost invincible superhuman qualities. A handy chronology and an extensive bibliography follow.Judging from the durability of interest in Napoleon, this volume should be a welcome addition to high-school, public, and undergraduate libraries. ((Reviewed March 15, 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)