Andrew Roberts’ book “Napoleon: A Life” is not only a comprehensive biography of Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Inside is a tour de force of the entire Napoleonic Wars, the beginning and end of the Napoleonic era and the history of Napoleon’s Grande Armee. 

The book starts with the humble beginnings of Napoleon and follows his entire journey from his time on the island of Corsica to his sad death in exile. Throughout the biography, readers follow Napoleon during his ups and downs of ruling France, which at the time, was divided into factions with no clear order. The journey continues as Napoleon goes on campaigns against Austria, Prussia and Russia and many other countries. Readers will experience the unpredictability of Napoleon’s Grande Armee as it experiences wins and losses. 

For those concerned about readability, the battles Roberts covers are laid in easy to read chapters. Robert also uses such detail that readers will feel as if they are in the saddle during cavalry charges and can feel the bitter cold on their feet during the retreat from Moscow. The book is around 900 pages in length, but don’t let the size scare you away!