"Best books covering the Napoleonic Conflict" Topic

A Miniature Gaming colleague that is new to the Napoleonic period was asking for recommendations on books to read. David Gates books on the Campaigns of Napoleon and the Spanish Ulcer are two that come to mind automatically.

What would you suggest?

Thx.

I would think that the classic would still be David Chandler"s "Campaigns of Napoleon" One of the first books I purchased when I began wargaming.

Chandlers Campaigns of Napoleon

Eltings Swords Around the Throne

Both come to mind

'Swords Around the Throne' by Elting. Entertaining review of all things Napoleonic and military with a concentration on the French. Some of the author's conclusions are contentious now but it is a great read. Also Chandler's 'Campaign's of Napoleon'. An older book but still a great summary of the Napoleonic Wars.

Hah! Great minds think alike!

Elting, Chandler for sure, but I think you're better off coming to grips with how Napoleonic warfare worked:

With Musket, Cannon And Sword: Battle Tactics Of Napoleon And His Enemies – Brent Nosworthy

Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon – Rory Muir

The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon – Gunther Rothenburg

Elting and Chandler for English speakers; Rothenburg
for other opinions

Sorry, I met Chandler – at the risk of getting off topic, Gates might be an interesting read when it comes to conflicts in America.

Elting, Chandler and Rothenburg. Yes, all good coices.

I'd add Charles Esdaile "Napoleon's Wars" – covers some of the campaigns that didn't directly involve Napoleon; something that Chandler's book doesn't do.

David Chandler's "Napoleon's Marshals" gives some interesting character sketches.

Just about anything by Paddy Griffith. Chandler was excellent but some more recent research contradicts some of his work.

Campaigns of Napoleon was my first big book

"Campaigns of Napoleon" still the best.

The best operational history of Napoleon's campaigns is the Elting/Esposito Atlas: A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars.

John Elting's Swords Around A Throne is the best organizational history of the Grande Armee.

Owen Connelly's Napoleon's Satellite Kingdoms is excellent for a political and social history of the Kingdom of Italy, Westphalia, Spain, etc.

Instead of making a listing of particular books and authors, I would recommend for a good start using the Recommended Reading List in the Elting/Esposito Atlas. There are about 400 volumes listed there.

That being said, Horward, Rothenberg, Ropes, Phipps, Lachouque, Nafziger, and others are a good bet to start with.

Thank-you all.

Haythornwaite's Napoleonic Source Book is all you need to start with. Then Chandler, and I do like the John Gill books on the 1809 campaign. I am a bit leery of Elting, for a number of reasons that will get me DH. As they say in the US, YMMV.

Apart from all the others recommended get your friend to read 'Crisis on the Danube' by James R Arnold. Very readable narrative and captures the flavour.

For the 1813 Campaign, Michael Leggiere and Dominic Lieven have some great studies.

I'm another enthusiast for Phipps, even if that is the sadly neglected wars of the 1st & 2nd Coalitions.

I'll also put in a good word for "Once there were Titans" by Kevin Kiley, because it does show the depth of talent in the French command structure and has so sketches that will interest you in a particular campaign.

Petre is still good, even if dated and you need better maps.

For individual battles or campaigns:
Waterloo Bernard Cornwell
The Battle of Borodino: Napoleon Against Kutuzov
The Slaves Who Defeated Napoleon (The 1802-03 expedition to Haiti)
Napoleon in Egypt
For the entire wars, I have no idea for the best single volume.