Explains his influence on the military, law, politics, and religion Get the real story of Napoleon Bonaparte Not sure what's true about Napoleon? This easy-to-follow guide gets past the stereotypes and introduces you to this extraordinary man's beginnings, accomplishments, and famous romances. It traces Napoleon's rise from Corsican military cadet to Emperor of the French, chronicles his military campaigns, explains the mistakes that led to his removal from power, and explores his lasting impact on Europe and the world. Discover * How Napoleon built -- and lost -- an empire * The forces that influenced him * Why he created the Napoleonic Code * The inside story on Josephine * How he helped shape modern-day Europe Adult/High School-This book is divided into 10 parts, each consisting of 3 to 4 short chapters that focus on a general theme, such as how Napoleon built his empire, how he lost it, why some of his reforms and ideas were so revolutionary, and the impact he had on Europe. Markham also addresses such issues as Napoleon's height, why he was portrayed with his hand in his vest, and whether he really divorced his 47-year-old wife to marry an 18-year-old princess. The author writes as if he were engaged in a conversation with readers rather than as a noted scholar. He keeps the sections in each chapter long enough to convey important information, but short enough to hold casual readers' attention. The text is interspersed with dry humor that takes on a rhythm of its own that, combined with the numerous cartoons that place Napoleon in humorous or absurd situations, will keep readers amused. Numerous high-quality photographs are appropriately placed throughout the text. A useful general reference. -Robert Burnham, Robert E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Explains his influence on the military, law, politics, and religion Get the real story of Napoleon Bonaparte Not sure what's true about Napoleon? This easy-to-follow guide gets past the stereotypes and introduces you to this extraordinary man's beginnings, accomplishments, and famous romances. It traces Napoleon's rise from Corsican military cadet to Emperor of the French, chronicles his military campaigns, explains the mistakes that led to his removal from power, and explores his lasting impact on Europe and the world. Discover How Napoleon built — and lost — an empire - The forces that influenced him - Why he created the Napoleonic Code - The inside story on Josephine - How he helped shape modern-day Europe Explains his influence on the military, law, politics, and religion Get the real story of Napoleon Bonaparte Not sure what's true about Napoleon? This easy-to-follow guide gets past the stereotypes and introduces you to this extraordinary man's beginnings, accomplishments, and famous romances. It traces Napoleon's rise from Corsican military cadet to Emperor of the French, chronicles his military campaigns, explains the mistakes that led to his removal from power, and explores his lasting impact on Europe and the world. Discover How Napoleon built and lost an empire - The forces that influenced him - Why he created the Napoleonic Code - The inside story on Josephine - How he helped shape modern-day Europe J. David Markham is an internationally acclaimed historian and Napoleonic scholar. His major books include Napoleon’s Road to Glory: Triumphs, Defeats and Immortality (winner of the 2004 Napoleonic Society of America Literary Award ); Imperial Glory: The Bulletins of Napoleon’s Grande Armée (winner of the International Napoleonic Society’s 2003 President’s Choice Award ); and Napoleon and Dr. Verling on St. Helena. He has been featured on the History Channel International’s Global View program on Napoleon, the History Channel’s Conquerors program (Napoleon’s Greatest Victory; Caesar in Gaul) and Napoleon: The Man Who Would Conquer Europe, as well as in programs on the Learning and Discovery channels. He has served as historical consultant to History Channel and National Geographic Society programs. Markham has contributed to four important reference encyclopedias (Leadership; World History; American Revolution; French Revolution and Napoleon). He has presented numerous academic papers to conferences in the United States, the UK, France, Italy, Israel, Georgia, and Russia. He is President of the Napoleonic Alliance and Executive Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief of the International Napoleonic Society. David has organized International Napoleonic Congresses in Italy, Israel, the Republic of Georgia, and France. He was the first American scholar to present a paper at the Borodino Conference in Russia. His awards include the Legion of Merit from the International Napoleonic Society, the President’s Medal from the Napoleonic Alliance, and the Marengo Medal from the province of Alessandria, Italy.