Napoleon the Great

Theme:

Napoleon the Great by Andrew Roberts, exploring his accomplishments as a military genius and political leader. It offers an in-depth look at his life and legacy, shedding light on his impact on European history.

Summary:

It is the definitive, modern biography of legendary leader, French idol and European visionary Napoleon Bonaparte, detailing his life from his early years as an immigrant, over his rise through the military ranks, all the way to his greatest battles, political achievements and ultimate exile.

Famous Quotes:

“I lived like a bear, in a little room, with books for my only friends . . . These were the joys and debaucheries of my youth.”

“It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or do in a circumstance unexpected by other people: it is reflection, meditation.”

“More books have been written with Napoleon in the title than there have been days since his death in 1821.”

“The future is a matter of contempt for those with courage. – Napoleon Bonaparte.”

“I am very happy to see the enemy wish to avoid our coming to him. – Napoleon”

“Rule one on page one of the book of war, is: “Do not march on Moscow.” ’ Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery, House of Lords, May 1962”

“I have beaten the Russian and Austrian army commanded by the two emperors. I am a little tired.”

“Nothing short of military defeat demoralizes a country so totally as hyper-inflation, and the Directory,”

“There is but a step from the sublime to the ridiculous.”

“The reading of history very soon made me feel that I was capable of achieving as much as the men who are placed in the highest ranks of our annals.”

“One must never ask of Fortune more than she can grant.”

“Nothing is lost while courage remains.”

“In war, men are nothing, but one man is everything,”

“When asked why he had not taken Frederick the Great’s sword when he had visited Sans Souci, he replied, ‘Because I had my own.”

“His constant references to the ancient world have the effect of giving ordinary soldiers a sense of their lives.”

“Napoleon respected Islam, regarding the Koran as ‘not just religious; it is civil and political. The Bible only preaches morals.”

“The maritime aspect of grand strategy was always one of Napoleon’s weaknesses: in all his long list of victories, none was at sea.”

“That’s war: very high in the morning and very low in the evening: from triumph to failure is only one step.”

Literary awards: