
Napoleon
A Concise Biography
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Narrated by:
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Paul Heitsch
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By:
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David A. Bell
About this listen
This book provides a concise, accurate, and lively portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte's character and career, situating him firmly in historical context.
David Bell emphasizes the astonishing sense of human possibility - for both good and ill - that Napoleon represented. By his late 20s, Napoleon was already one of the greatest generals in European history. At 30, he had become absolute master of Europe's most powerful country. In his early 40s, he ruled a European empire more powerful than any since Rome, fighting wars that changed the shape of the continent and brought death to millions. Then everything collapsed, leading him to spend his last years in miserable exile in the South Atlantic.
Bell emphasizes the importance of the French Revolution in understanding Napoleon's career. The revolution made possible the unprecedented concentration of political authority that Napoleon accrued and his success in mobilizing human and material resources. Without the political changes brought about by the revolution, Napoleon could not have fought his wars. Without the wars, he could not have seized and held onto power. Though his virtual dictatorship betrayed the ideals of liberty and equality, his life and career were revolutionary.
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Great Summary, good narration
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Great introduction to Napoleon
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The narration was will done and very clear and easily followed.
I will recommend it to others as this history helps us understand how it shapes our present realities.
Great concise history of Napoleon
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High level overview. Enough for casual interest.
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Biographical stories make history memorable
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Talk about a book with great information and no waste
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Sound
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Concise and Digestible
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Appreciated this book
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All information is useful to a devoted student of the subject but information that does not help move the story along simply impedes the continuity for an audience that wants to know “what happened next?”
Napoleon’s time on Elba and St. Helena does not require the regurgitation of a hour-by-hour diary for us to know he was exiled and spent his time wishing he was not.
Bravo to Bell for his cautious brevity and laudable bravery. He accurately tells the story and gets out of the way. In doing so he certainly subjected himself to harsh criticism from rabid historians who revel in volume while ignoring the storytelling itself.
It was a stroke of brilliance to retain the talents of Paul Heitsch - an award-winning storyteller whose timing, timbre and clarity make him perfect for this project. I was immersed in the incredible life of Napoleon from start to finish. Never once did the nagging critic in my head whisper, “get on with it.” Instead time and again I experienced the anxious, “what happened next?”
Simply Marvelous
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