"Napoleon Soldier of Destiny by Michael Broers." Topic

"There are some books that just smell good. Yes it's odd but that was my first thought when I opened the 1st volume Michael Broers' biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, still fresh from the mail packet. As I let the pages fall in a fan from under my thumb the aroma of paper and ink that I have found most commonly in good quality history books, wafted up to me and I thought this book smells good.
For me a book should not only have a pleasing fragrance but also feel good in my hand, this one did, and I liked that by opening the cover the red of the inside dust jacket blended with the blue of the facing page and the crisp white of the thick chunk of paper to make up the hues of the French Tricolour. It made me smile, and that's without even reading a word, a good start. I found when reading the introduction a warmth for the style and felt disappointed when I had to stop reading as the timer controlling the light I was reading by clicked off, leaving me in darkness.
The book is exceptional value, even in the intimidating hardback, priced RRP £30.00 GBP Out of 608 pages only 59 are given over to acknowledgements, notes and index, and 8 for illustrations (averagely 2-3 per page) and 12 for maps, an incredible feat for such a large book, which gives the buyer allot to sink their teeth into. I would have liked to have had more illustrations in such a large book, it will take you two the three weeks to be able to read it, depending on your speed, but that's just me, I like pictures and the selection he has is good. Faber and Faber has made a very good eye catching product that will look attractive on a shelf. The cover is light in tone, with a fine painting of Napoleon as First Consul after Marengo by Gros. Black, red and soft yellow gold letters make up the title, copying Napoleon's uniform, and the back if full of reviews and a battle scene showing Austerlitz…"

Full review here.
link

Amicalement
Armand

Hmm, I think so mention of the content might be useful. And notes and index being light is not necessarily a good thing…

If its any recommendation I was taught by Mike Broers as an undergrad at Leeds. He is an outstanding scholar and an extremely entertaining lecturer. I don't think I came across any one with a greater enthusiasm for his subject than him.