Napoleon & Josephine: The Sword And The Hummingbird

by Gerald Hausman, Loretta Hausman

Acclaimed authors Gerald and Loretta Hausman weave together the stories of Napoleon and Josephine and their turbulent love affair in this lavish and beautifully written novel.

As Josephine grows up on the tropical island of Martinique, she dreams of moving to Paris to live a life of glamour. An arranged marriage to a French nobleman brings her to Paris, but not to the lifestyle she dreamt of. After a divorce and a terrible time during the French Revolution, she holds a party that Napoleon, the general who has grown famous after a series of military victories, attends. A tumultuous relationship develops that is filled with separations and fights and the most passionate declarations of love ever uttered.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Fiction, Teen

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

About the author

Gerald Andrews Hausman is a storyteller and award-winning author of books about Native America, animals, mythology, and West Indian culture. Hausman comes from a long line of storytellers and educators, and has published over seventy books for both children and adults.

Reviews

[Meg Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It reads more like historical fiction. There are historical inaccuracies. For example, it set the date for their divorce a few years before it actually happened. This book was refreshing to me because it was more entertainment, and I loved aspects of how their relationship was portrayed (especially their first meeting and courtship). sometimes Napoleon was portrayed in a strange way, like the scene where Josephine is crying at his study door. He was written as being a little off his rocker, but I still enjoyed the book and simply took some things with a grain of salt. The ending was quite beautiful, loved the playful, loving, and tempestuous portrait of their love. It’s sweet to think a husband and a wife wrote this.

[Holly Ristau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast juvenile-level biography that made me look for more information.

[Jillian Greenawalt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read, and gave a decent easy to read overview of Josephine's life and their relationship together.

[Melainebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très bon roman historique sur Joséphine et Napoléon (écrit par un auteur américain). L'histoire est racontée du point de vue de Joséphine. On suit son évolution depuis son île de la Martinique où tout le monde l'appelle Rose, jusqu'à son mariage avec Alexandre de Beauharnais, la révolution, la Terreur et son mariage avec Bonaparte. La seconde moitié du livre se focalise sur sa vie avec Bonaparte sans jamais être lourd ou emplie de détails. Ce livre est idéal pour une première approche concernant Joséphine (prénom donné à Rose par Napoléon).

[Posie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually, I love historical fiction/romance novels. But really, this was extremely disappointing. The book started out great, very exciting and with just enough scary stuff to keep you holding on. Then Napoleon comes in. I know, I know, Napoleon is completely central to this story, but I think the authors could have done a much better job with him. It was just...almost painful to read to an extent. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't waste your time.

[Win · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww. This book didn't get very fantastic community reviews. But that's okay, because of all of the Josephine + Napoleon literature that I've come across, this one is, in my opinion, the best.

Oh god I'm shipping them like they're two teenagers. This ship will sail!!

PS: I cried at the end

3.8 stars

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a strange and fascinating relationship these two had. And how terribly sad. I guess that's the risk you take with reading love stories from real life, the author can't just give them a happy ever after if they didn't have one in actuality. Sometimes I think France at that time must have been one of the hardest places to be alive, in great particular for a woman.

[Jbl Robinson]

Perhaps history's most turbulent and passionate romance ...The French Revolution, A Colonial Martinique and the Napoleonic Wars makes for a perfect setting for the this racy and engaging love story blamed on a destiny to "be more than a queen" ... read in one sitting ... it grips you ...

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly fictionalized biography, a quick read for young adults. A brief glimpse into a tumultuous period in world history through the eyes of two very unique individuals who both shaped and were victims of their time.

[Vickie T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story of Napoleon and Josephine told mostly from Josephine's side. Mildly interesting. The Hausmans really didn't make them come alive.

[Elizabeth Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could be romantic but reads like a textbook.