Annette Ranald's Blog: Annette's History Reads - Posts Tagged "marshals"
BOOK REVIEW: Owen Connelly, Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns
While looking through the Goodreads Giveaways I saw that there is a new book about Napoleon that will be released shortly. I'm glad. It's time for an assessment and reassessment. There are so many angles. Napoleon's military campaigns, his policies and accomplishments as a ruler and, of course, the soap opera/reality show that was his family's wild rise to power and ultimate plunge into defeat. Each of those would be a thick, chewy book. What if you're not into thick, chewy books, particularly about subjects that you're not as familiar with. Here's a option.
Owen Connelly's book, Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns, combines into one handy reference all of Napoleon's major battles and campaigns. Connelly's thesis is that, although Napoleon was a meticulous planner who always had his logistical and staff work done ahead of time, he was quickly able to adapt to conditions on the ground and take advantage of mistakes, both his own and those of his opponents. Thus, no Napoleonic battle ever went quite according to plan. And, Connelly supports this thesis in a way that I like books about battles and campaigns to read. I've never been in the military, let alone went to a military academy or staff college. Yet, I can understand this book, and the accompanying maps, just fine.
Connelly also has an eye for detail, not only the campaigns, the weaponry, etc., but also the men who made Napoleon's core cadre of commanders work. Napoleon had two close friends, Marshal Jean Lannes, and General Michel Duroc. Both were killed in battle and Napoleon was utterly devastated at their loss. The friendship comes through. Then there's Lannes trying to work with his fellow Gascons, Junot, Murat, etc. Long before D'Artagnan, there were real swashbucklers at Napoleon's court, and they were it. There's also Marshal Nicholas-Charles Oudinot, who relieved boredom by shooting the flames off candles with his pistol, Marshal Laurent Gouvion de St. Cyr, who played the violin to relieve his stress with just about everybody. And, Marshal Michel Ney, the redheaded machine of destruction on the battlefield. You can learn about the battles, and also the men who fought them, all in one quick, convenient read. Don't know why this hasn't rated a 5-star on Amazon.
Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns
Owen Connelly's book, Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns, combines into one handy reference all of Napoleon's major battles and campaigns. Connelly's thesis is that, although Napoleon was a meticulous planner who always had his logistical and staff work done ahead of time, he was quickly able to adapt to conditions on the ground and take advantage of mistakes, both his own and those of his opponents. Thus, no Napoleonic battle ever went quite according to plan. And, Connelly supports this thesis in a way that I like books about battles and campaigns to read. I've never been in the military, let alone went to a military academy or staff college. Yet, I can understand this book, and the accompanying maps, just fine.
Connelly also has an eye for detail, not only the campaigns, the weaponry, etc., but also the men who made Napoleon's core cadre of commanders work. Napoleon had two close friends, Marshal Jean Lannes, and General Michel Duroc. Both were killed in battle and Napoleon was utterly devastated at their loss. The friendship comes through. Then there's Lannes trying to work with his fellow Gascons, Junot, Murat, etc. Long before D'Artagnan, there were real swashbucklers at Napoleon's court, and they were it. There's also Marshal Nicholas-Charles Oudinot, who relieved boredom by shooting the flames off candles with his pistol, Marshal Laurent Gouvion de St. Cyr, who played the violin to relieve his stress with just about everybody. And, Marshal Michel Ney, the redheaded machine of destruction on the battlefield. You can learn about the battles, and also the men who fought them, all in one quick, convenient read. Don't know why this hasn't rated a 5-star on Amazon.
Blundering to Glory: Napoleon's Military Campaigns
Annette's History Reads
I enjoy reading and writing about history. I've loved history all my life and read a ton of books. Now, I'll share a few of them with you. I also want to take you along with me in this new and strange
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