Any good books on Napoleon's battles out there??

[Mike_Toth]

Never was really interested in Napoleonic era warfare until I purchased AGEOD's Napoleon's Campaigns.. wow.. great game.

Anyhow - I'd like to read up on some of the history involved in his campaigns. Does anyone recommend a good book that's not a dry read like alot of history books seem to be??..


Merci

[KillCalvalry]

Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" looks daunting, but is an easy read. It is an excellent book!

Anyone who says there is a better Napoleonic History book, I will seriously fight you.

[Ian Coote]

Never was really interested in Napoleonic era warfare until I purchased AGEOD's Napoleon's Campaigns.. wow.. great game.

Anyhow - I'd like to read up on some of the history involved in his campaigns. Does anyone recommend a good book that's not a dry read like alot of history books seem to be??..


Merci

Hi Mike,I'm kinda like you ,don't know too much about Napoleonic Wars and wanted to get some background information.Ordered 3 books from Amazon that I received last week.For an overview of the whole war got The War of Wars:The great european conflict 1793-1815 by Robert Harvey.Its a big book,about 800 pages,but its written in a narrative style and so far its a great read and I'm really enjoying it.For the main campaign in the Game got The Peninsular War by Charlles Esdaile,it also looks really good,and to finish off Historical Atlas Of The Napoleonic Era by Angus Konstam.Would recommend all three.Haven't got the game yet,waiting for the box copy,still playing there civil war game love it .How's this one?

[Syt]

Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" looks daunting, but is an easy read. It is an excellent book!

Anyone who says there is a better Napoleonic History book, I will seriously fight you.

Agreed. Also check "Cassell Military Paperbacks". I have Duffy's Borodino 1812 and Austerlitz 1805 - both good reads, though I don't always agree with him likening Napoleon to Hitler. Has a good description of military and equipment of the sides during the campaign, too.

[Jagger]

Scot Bowden's "Napoleon and Austerlitz" is the best I have read on a single battle. Excellent detail on both tactics and operational strategy. Not all of his books are of the same high standard as "Napoleon and Austerlitz".

I will second David Chandler's "Napoleon" for a fantastic grand overview.

If you can find it, Oman's "Peninsula War" is very unique on the Spanish campaign.

[arsan]

Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon" looks daunting, but is an easy read. It is an excellent book!

Anyone who says there is a better Napoleonic History book, I will seriously fight you.

I will not fight!
Chandler work is absolutely marvellous
You get all the Napy campaigns in detail (from the siege of Toulon to Waterloo), full of maps, with explanations of his operational strategies and tactics.
The only thing you don´t get is a complete Peninsular war history (it only covers Napoleon intervention on 1809).
For a great and unbiased military history of the Peninsular war i recommend David Gates "The Spanish Ulcer"

Cheers!

[rasnell]

Thanks for the book list. This is how I justify all of my game purchases over these many years: Civilization, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, BOA, AACW, etc. I end up going to the library and book store and reading more history.

I know almost nothing about Napoleon -- as another one of those Americans who only pays attention to news on this side of the pond. I read a whole lot after playing BOA and increased my biased American history and knowledge even more because of that great game. When you consider what the French gave our Founding Fathers in inspiration, military support and our Constitution, you come away with a substantially enhanced appreciation of why we should never forget our great, historic Allies.

[kierun]

Chandler work is absolutely marvellous
You get all the Napy campaigns in detail (from the siege of Toulon to Waterloo), full of maps, with explanations of his operational strategies and tactics.

Sadly, you cannot seem to get his book in the UK. Amazon.co.uk lists it as only second hand starting at £23.59. Same books is for $64.80 ($27.99 second hand) from the US site.

[Pak43]

Try here...
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/

[Syt]

Try here...
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/

I got my copy of Chandler's through Abebooks a couple years ago for ~60 EUR from UK. It was in prime condition and hardcover, though.

[Melnibone]

Ditto - got mine from abebooks UK last month - hardcover and mint condition for 35 euros

[Sol Invictus]

"Swords Around a Throne", by John Elting and "The End of the Old Order", by Frederick Kagan are both excellent imo.

[arsan]

Hi

I had also read Elting's "Swords around a Throne" and like it a lot.
But i dont think its a good introduction to Napoleonic Era as Chandler is.
It deals with the organization and everyday life on the army of Napoleon (from the Marshals and Generals to the cantineers :nuts but not with battles and campaigns.
Its very very interesting and not dry at all.
But its better to napoleonic era fans, not newbies.

Just my 2 cents

Cheers

[Sol Invictus]

I certainly agree, it is a more specialized read. The same can be said for "The End of the Old Order". If a person can only read one book in order to gain a good understanding of the Napoleonic Wars, then Chandler is hard to beat.

[Syt]

A very interesting read is also The Mammoth Book of Soldiers at War: Firsthand Accounts of Warfare from the Age of Napoleon (the title says it all). It gives a rather good view into the life of the average soldier or officer. The funniest bit is probably the letters of an old American gramps fighting the redcoats in 1812.

[Mike_Toth]

Hey thanks all... I appreciate the wonderful suggestions....

[PDH]

If you can find it, try A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars by Esposito and Elting - I remember finding this at the university library 25 years ago and being enthralled with the maps and the descriptions of movements/battles.

I do not know if it is in print again (I bout my copy in 2000), but for my little brain it is well worth the purchase if found.

[tagwyn]

I'm not in favor of forgetting the help France gave us during the Revolutionary War! However, you say they gave us our constitution???? That is baloney! We gave our constitution to any who wanted to read and study how a repubic is constituted. John Locke is more responsible for Jefferson's thoughts than any French source. Please advise. T

[Jagger]

For a great and unbiased military history of the Peninsular war i recommend David Gates "The Spanish Ulcer"

Cheers!

I agee with your recommendation of David Gates book. It has a huge amount of detail on the Peninsular campaign. The only drawback is the reading is a bit dry. The details are absolutely top notch but tends to put me to sleep within about 10 minutes if I pick it up past 10. More a solid resource than a great read, IMO.

Hope Ageod used it when designing the scenario.

[Sol Invictus]

I'm reading "The Spanish Ulcer" at the moment. Very nice book, but I agree, it won't keep me up until 2 A.M. because I am unable to tear myself away.


Tag, I am guessing that rasnell was referring to Montesquieu and the speration of governmental powers, but I agree, Locke had a very heavy influence on the Founders.

[Adam Parker]

There's a nice glossy paperback series called the "Cassell History of Warfare". Its maps are quality products and its narrative set for the general reader. Comprising it is the 240 page book (I must get the Roman one ):

"The Napoleonic Wars" by Gunther Rothenberg (John Keegan General ed).

http://www.amazon.com/Napoleonic-Wars-Gunther-Rothenberg/dp/0304359831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196153587&sr=1-1

[arsan]

I'm reading "The Spanish Ulcer" at the moment. Very nice book, but I agree, it won't keep me up until 2 A.M. because I am unable to tear myself away.


Tag, I am guessing that rasnell was referring to Montesquieu and the speration of governmental powers, but I agree, Locke had a very heavy influence on the Founders.

Hi!
You shouldn’t then try the Charles Esdaile book about Peninsular War.
I found David Gates the “enthralling” one, so…
Maybe it’s because Gates one is more military focused than Esdaile (also social, political, economical…) and I find military history more interesting.

Anyhow, both are right. Its not as good read as Chandler or Elting, but the best I know of the Peninsular War

Cheers!!

[Clayroger]

You may also consider reading Osprey's napoleonic campaign series. Really good reading, somewhat summarized but with excellent maps and the exact size of NCP, with nearly a volume for each scenario.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/combo_list.php/per=45~ser=CAM

[jhdeerslayer]

If you can find it, try A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars by Esposito and Elting - I remember finding this at the university library 25 years ago and being enthralled with the maps and the descriptions of movements/battles.

I do not know if it is in print again (I bout my copy in 2000), but for my little brain it is well worth the purchase if found.

I have a copy of this Atlas, plus Chandler's Campaigns, and these two certainly are the minimum for your collection. Every other page in the Atlas is a new map and a rather large book to boot. I think I found a used copy some years ago on half.com. I still need to read Bowdin's Austerlitz as it looks good too.

[Dragoon!]

Osprey also publishes a good 'essential histories' on the Napoleonic wars that details exactly the period and campaigns found in the game. It's an easy read with good maps and illustrations..Very good for a solid, basic understanding of the campaigns-the only knock on it is that it's a little thin on battle maps for the early campaigns-but, it has campaign maps covered. A good choice for a 'one stop' resource.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_detail.php/title=S8316~ser=ESP~per=45


For anything more...Yeah, go Chandler. (try the library first...that book's expensive)

[FinnN]

I agree the Chandler book is really good, and although at the other end of the scale the Osprey series make for a quick enjoyable read too.

But the real reason I'm replying is the mention of Abebooks, if you want the ultimate online used book search engine this is it:

http://used.addall.com

Note this includes Abebooks...and a lot, lot more...

Have fun
Finn

[lokidan]

I have to throw my 2 pennies in. The Chandlers book is the way to go. It looks daunting but is a great read. It also appears expensive but the weath of information cannot be found in a collection that would cost you 2 to 3 times as much.
Now I have said that I'll have to head back and covet my personally signed copy :-)
Dan

[Gallus Sinensis]

For more local color, small anecdotes and to get the feel of the period, check a few memoirs as follows:
-General Marbot (his life is a huge action movie)
http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-General-Baron-Marbot/dp/1406953407/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196556444&sr=1-1
-Count de Segur (Napoleon's Expedition to Russia: The Memoirs of General de Segur)
http://www.amazon.com/Napoleons-Expedition-Russia-Memoirs-General/dp/B000HT2OI0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196556597&sr=1-4
-Sergent Bourgogne (Sergeant Bourgogne - with Napoleon's Imperial Guard in the Russian campaign and on the retreat from Moscow 1812 - 13)
http://www.amazon.com/Sergeant-Bourgogne-Napoleons-Imperial-campaign/dp/1846771064/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196556750&sr=1-2
-Capitaine Coignet (Captain Coignet - A Soldier of Napoleon's Imperial Guard from the Italian Campaign to Waterloo)
http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Coignet-Napoleons-Imperial-Campaign/dp/1846771374/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196556842&sr=1-1