Books Like...

Alison Weir's 'Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England' delves into the intriguing life of Queen Isabella, exploring her political and romantic entanglements. Weir presents a detailed and sympathetic account of Isabella's life, aiming to rehabilitate her reputation from being maligned by history. The book offers an interesting historical glimpse into the life of this forgotten queen, dispelling myths and providing a balanced portrait of her.

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie is a captivating biography that delves into the life and reign of Empress Catherine II of Russia. The book offers a well-researched and engaging narrative that transports readers back to the 18th century, shedding light on Catherine's transformation from a pawn to a powerful ruler. Massie's accessible writing style and detailed character portrayals create a deep sense of interest and empathy towards the historical figure, while also providing insights into the political and personal struggles faced by Catherine during her time.

This well researched biography of one of the great men of history is well worth reading for anyone interested in nineteenth century history or its further implications for today. Roberts compares mountains of previous biographies as well as documents discovered as recently as the last decade in order to give a balanced view of the man and his amazing career. Despite the length, it is nevertheless a concise history, answering all the main questions about Napoleon's rise and fall, the times he lived in and the major characters, both political and personal, involved. Roberts is an obvious admirer of the man, but spends a lot of time analyzing the character flaws and weaknesses that ultimately kept him from achieving his ultimate goals. The book is well written, enjoyable to read.

Andrew Roberts makes a good set of choices and provides a good overview of the life and work of Napoleon. The book is, however, a challenge to read, particularly on a Kindle. You need to have a good understanding of European geography which the maps in the Kindle edition are not up to. I needed to use an atlas while reading the book. You also have a challenge to keep up with all of the people mentioned in the book. Finally, I found the description of the battles somewhat weak in comparison to other military history books. Despite these challenges, the book is a good way to get acquainted with Napoleon.