Comments on: Happy Birthday to History’s Most Aggressive Liberal

By: Eugene Finerman

Eugene Finerman — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:34:19 +0000

Mary,

History can be histrionic. Musset’s tribute is overwrought, but how else would you capture the French infatuation with Napoleon?

And, crypto-Romantic that I am, I do love the closing line: there were no more old men, there were corpses or demi-gods.

Eugene

By: Eugene Finerman

Eugene Finerman — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:31:19 +0000

Mike,

A Jeopardy question asked which individual was the subject of the largest number of biographies. Guess who? I wish your question were so easy to answer. I will divulge my idiosyncratic choice: “The Age of Napoleon”, published in 1963 by Horizon Books. It is a large book, with wonderful illustrations, written for either the bright teenager or the discerning coffee table. (I was the former). I suppose “The Age of Napoleon” might be considered by first love; and no subsequent book has ever made such an impression.

Eugene

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 20:41:46 +0000

Stunning quote by de Musset. Thanks, Eugene.

By: Mike Field

Mike Field — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:44:58 +0000

Eugene,
Is there one biography of Napoleon that you would commend as both eminently readable and well-informed?
Mike

By: Eugene Finerman

Eugene Finerman — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:35:37 +0000

Thank you, Michael. But if you think my sketch is good, you should see those of Jean Louis David.

Eugene

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 01:28:54 +0000

Excellent sketch.