This Very Short Introduction might prove disappointing to those
expecting an introduction to a very short man. Dispelling the myth of
Napoleon Bonaparte's short stature, as well as the other rumors and
legends, David A. Bell provides a concise, accurate, and lively portrait
of Napoleon Bonaparte's character and career, situating him firmly in
historical context.
This book emphasizes the astonishing sense of human possibility--for
both good and ill--that Napoleon represented. By his late twenties,
Napoleon was already one of the greatest generals in European history.
At thirty, he had become absolute master of Europe's most powerful
country. In his early forties, 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 underscores 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 for
war. 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.
