The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo in Around the World in 80 Books

Aug 11, 2012 Beverly rated it really liked it

A fascinating well-researched biography of General Alex Dumas who went from being a slave to commanding armies during the French Revolution – an impressive strategic leader. The author brilliantly tells the story of the General, the history of the time and place and puts everything into a world perspective. Loved the maps included as it enhanced my reading pleasure. While his country ignored/denied/erased his contributions, his devoted talented son paid tribute to his father through his engaging ...more

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Mar 25, 2014 Kay rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, e-book, biogr-memoir, european-history-civ, napoleonic-wars

Tom Reiss' debut book, The Orientalist, was one of my favorite non-fiction books of recent years. I was greatly looking forward to reading this book, but perhaps my expectations were set too high, for I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I had anticipated, especially given such a swashbuckling subject.

For me, the central figure in this book, General Alex Dumas, never came completely alive. In making Alex Dumas a larger-than-life figure, Reiss somehow manages to diminish his appeal and believabil ...more

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Nov 29, 2015 Ellen Librarian rated it liked it

Well written and interesting book about France pre- to post-revolution. However, I was rather disappointed in that I never felt that I really got to "know" M. Dumas. I do realize that there isn't that much material about him but he seemed like a fascinating character. So it was frustrating just to get some glimpses. ...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Oblomov rated it really liked it

Fascinating book about a man who in a fairer world may have been spoken of as one of the great french generals,

One question - why does the American version of this book not actually show General Dumas? We have a painting of what Dumas looked like yet the American edition of the book does not use this painting but rather superimposes a generic head onto the generals body- Dumas was not clean shaven but possessed a full mustache as befits a french cavalry officer.

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