{"product_id":"9780745625355","title":"Napoleon the Novelist","description":"\u003ch1\u003eNapoleon the Novelist\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAndy Martin\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eLiterary Criticism \/ General\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThis brilliantly original study uncovers a side to Napoleon Bonaparte which has hitherto been ignored by biographers - that of the aspiring novelist and man of letters. In this illuminating, witty and elegantly written book, Andy Martin reveals how this neglected aspect of Napoleon's remarkable life actually provides the key to understanding it.  \u003cp\u003eThe French Revolution, Austerlitz and Waterloo all came second in Napoleon's life to a \u003ci\u003eDiscourse on Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e, a \u003ci\u003eDialogue on Love\u003c\/i\u003e and repeated attempts at a novel. Napoleon began as a would-be Rousseau and ended up on Saint Helena dictating his own confessions. The colossal rise and catastrophic fall of his empire are, Martin argues, anticipated in the obsessive and tragicomic pages of his voluminous writings.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNapoleon emerges as an idealist, romantic, visionary, critic, a thinker with an epic imagination and an underdeveloped sense of reality, pushing his 'portable library' across Europe, Asia and the Orient, and always wrestling with the intricacies of language and literature. And, although Napoleon was denounced as a failure in an essay competition, Martin shows that he did indeed succeed in imposing himself as the archetype and inspiration of modern European culture.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis provocative book will appeal to a wide general readership. It will also be of interest to students of literature, modern languages and European history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e  \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Andy Martin\u003c\/b\u003e is Lecturer in French at the University of Cambridge and author of \u003ci\u003eWalking on Water\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWaiting for Bardot\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17 January 2001\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePolity Press\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePolity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9780745625355\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e208\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.68\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Polity Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44379924889740,"sku":"9780745625355","price":26.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/9780745625355_5756a3b1-4026-4c3c-be10-7debf004a294.jpg?v=1780162336","url":"https:\/\/lateknightbooks.com\/products\/9780745625355","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}