NAPOLEON: Soldier and Emperor

Long, full and in its way, admirable, but it neither sheds new light on his personality, nor does it seems infused with his dynamic quality, except at second hand. Aubry has used the carefully documented facts that are Masson's contribution and has included some of the gossipy chatter from the Duchesse d'Abrantes and the kept by Napoleon's secretary. The well-known clichÉs are there. The facts are given without interpretation or analysis. There is a complete record of the military history, but no development of the political significance nor the results today. Aubry writes of Napoleon in sprightly, often dramatic fashion, interested but non-partison. He succeeds in presenting merely the traditional figure of the little Corporal walking through the pages of a twice-told tale.