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Poland, 1807. As the Grand Armée continues its march ever eastward, Napoleon is to face his most difficult challenge to date… The sixth novel in Richard Howard’s stirring, impeccably researched account of the Napoleonic campaigns. ... Read more

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The Polish Period Leading to Tilsit
This book tells the story of how Bonaparte finally took his continental dominion to its highest point of power. In that sense, this was the pinnacle of French power in Europe and probably the height of their influence in the world in general.

Of course, the context of the telling of the story is a focus on the adventures of Alain Lausard. However, I do want at the outset to explain that I think this book needs to be read for historical context as well as entertainment.

While it is most common for historians to comment on this period as a costly period where Napoleon did not win as magically as before, it is essential to recognize that, after the Treaty of Tilsit in the Neiman, Napoleon and the French had defeated all the armies of Europe in detail and were therefore able to force everyone, including the inscrutable Mother Russia, to contradict their essential vital interests by a boycott of English trade.

While the incremental costs were rising to Napoleon and his incremental benefits were declining, at Tilsit the powers of the French Empire were maximized and would never again be so high, or its reverberations in history so complete.

In ultimate truth, the greatest strategic error of Napoleon Bonaparte was not military. It was economic. Had Bonaparte used the Treaty of Tilsit to create a way to profit from British trade with Europe, rather than institute a boycott that could never work, he would have ruled as Emperor of Europe for all his days and France would have become the center of a fully integrated Europe by the mid to late 19th century. Boycotts do not create power. There has been no power in the world or in the history of civilization greater than gains to trade. If Bonaparte had garnered a small and reasonable fraction of the overall gains to trade of the day he would have harnessed the loyalty of all Europe. All he had to do was promote the trade and not threaten the lives or lifestyle of the inept and ruling Bourbons. Trade would have secured his power. Food and wine and art would have secured the Bourbons. England alone could have never defeated the French. Napoleon gave the Germans, Russians and Austrians incentive to fight him as a coalition because he wanted to impose a system on them no less economically harmful than the way the Germans were punished again in the 20th century by the ill-fated Treaty of Versailles.

This book is not convincing evidence of the diplomatic and economic background of the story, nor is it intended to be. However, this creates a compelling reason to read the book and get interested in the accomplishments and travails of the interlude. The book tells of the struggle and the cost in the most human and personal terms. In that sense, I rate this book a 5 because it makes the reading of the broader history far more rich than it would otherwise be.

History must put it all together in a lesson for the future. With that, I will now provide a brief summary of the scope of the book and note any important differences in the plot or character development than differentiates this book from the previous five volumes. You should read the books in sequence and in the broader context with some other historical aids. I give it two thumbs up on all fronts and I hope Mr. Howard will be able somehow to complete his stories. I would like to see Lausard as Marechal of France in fiction. I think such Gingrich-esque speculative history is very acceptable, even to Napoleonic purists.

More to follow...

A fast-paced plot of military fiction
Fans of military fiction will find Bonaparte's Horsemen an involving account of 1807 Poland, where Napoleon is facing a dangerous battle and Sergeant Lausard his most decisive battle. Add historical insights to a fast-paced plot of military fiction and you have a story which just doesn't quit. ... Read more

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The third book in Richard Howard's Bonaparte series. Recalled to Paris for the first time in four years, Alain Lausard and his heroic cavalry unit look on as Bonaparte stages the coup d'etat that dissolves the existing regime. ... Read more

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Lausard rejects riches but embraces war
This is the best of the first three books in Howard's Lausard six-book series.The book covers the time from Napoleon's return to Paris from Egypt, and continues until the last hours in the aftermath of the bloody day at Morengo.By the time the story ends, Lausard eschews the plunder and riches promised the army by Bonaparte. He realizes that he needs the wars to survive and to live down the pain of his past.He is "born again hard."

The first 100 pages or so of the book do a nice job developing the dynamics behind, and the process of, the coup d'etat on the 18th Brumaire. Lausard is a first-hand participant as the transfer of the reigns of power for the consulate passed to Bonaparte after the dissolution of the Deputies at St. Cloud.

The next third of the book is a competent and fast-moving story of the crossing of the Great St. Bernard.The feeling of the steep slopes, and the difficult condition in the May snow, going down the Italian face to Aosta, is vivid.The travails of the crossing are well described and a sense of high danger is palpable.

The most realistic scenes are in the move of the Army down the Val d'Aosta, criss-crossing the banks of the Dorea Baltea. Howard does well in setting the scenes of the gaping deep valley, as well as the rushing fury and eerie sounds of the river during the high intensity late-Spring runoff.The passage at Fort Bard is thrilling, and finally culminates as the Austrians are run off at Ivrea.

Howard treats Napoleon with more respect in this volume than in the earlier ones, and the character of Lausard is crisper and less sentimental.

Just as in the real campaign, the action of the book quickly turns to the bloody events at Morengo.In the course of the battle, Lausard is witness to the valiant death of Louis Charles Atione Desaix -- a true aristocrat who is interred today in the walls of the Monastery at the Great St. Bernard.It is interesting to set the character of Desaix himself against the fictional image of Lausard.

However, the death of Desaix passes notice fast because of the confusion on the battlefield.On balance, Howard renders the confusion and the brutality of the battle well.The anxieties of Napoleon vaccilate and the fortunes of the army go with it.In the end, everyone, from the commander to the ranks, solidifies and a rally ensues to forge a victory from the grasp of defeat.

I might be cheating a little -- as I have spent many hours in the Val D'Aosta and on the fields of Maregno after traversing the haunting valley of the Dorea Baltea.However, the book fits nicely with that background. It puts characters in the hills and on the fields to enliven appreciation of the place. I think that is a valuable contribution to the literature.

All told, I can recommend this book as a quality effort.It would always be nice to read it on a few days of travel in the region.This is an action book and the morality lessons are minimized.It is a good thing, because it balances out the over-indulgent moralizing in the Invaders. For now -- the real tension of the tale is that which fights for the soul of Lausard himself. Who is he, where is he from, and where is he going?

If action makes a good book, then this is a good book. It is rich with insights and characters on both sides of the lines.The tensions of the quest for glory has passed, and now the French are onto the business of war and the spoils that go along.Lausard is still searching for his true self, but he is a bigger, richer character, growing in leadership and ruggedness.He is destined for greater things ... the Legion of Honor, the Guarde Imperiale.Perhaps he will rise like Lannes and others to Marshal of France.

Better than Sharpe
I love the Sharpe series, but the Bonaparte's Sons, Bonaparte's Invaders and Bonaparte's Conquerors are as exciting and more believable. The series follows the adventures of Alain Lausard a former criminal released during the later stages of the French revolution to fight for Napoleon. This the third book in the series includes Bonaparte's rise to power following his return from Egypt and his campaign in Italy which culminates in the brilliantly described battle of Marengo. Great characters, Lausards fellow troopers also ex-criminals, are brilliantlyportrayed. Most of all I enjoyed the battle scenes. The novel also moves to scenes with Bonaparte, providing insights into Napoleon's thoughts at crucial moments. For those who love historical novels these are a must read! ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Removed from his ethnic and cultural origins by three generations, yet emotionally attached to the idea of them still, Richard Brown journeyed to Ireland in an effort to connect with the country and its people. ... Read more

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Presenting a major retrospective and prospective overview of strategy, this Handbook is an important benchmark volume for management scholars worldwide. The Handbook frames, assesses and synthesizes the work in the field. Chapters are grouped under four specific areas of strategy and management: Mapping a Terrain; Thinking and Acting Strategically; Changing Contexts; and Looking Forward. Within these parts, leading international scholars provide historical overviews of the key themes, address the central approaches which have characterized these themes, critically assess the quality of current theory and knowledge, and set out agendas for future theoretical and empirical development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Complete
This is very likely the most comprehensive book on stratgy and management I've ever had. Great as a reference for theoretical research and also as a theoretical guide for classroom presentations.
Great work.
Felipe Rodrigues ... Read more

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Richard Howard's title for his new collection of poems is the old name for psychoanalysis, an allusion to the therapeutic powers of speech under controlled circumstances. For the most part, these poems are spoken out of a solitude and into a solitude, but passing through a company of some order, some chaos. A number of the poet's ecphrastic studies appear in Talking Cures, including an ecphrastic variation: five poems spoken by early 20th-century masters about movies they have seen--in certain cases from the Other Side--and regarded with varying suspicion. Read Henry James on Now Voyager, Joseph Conrad on Lost Horizon, George Meredith on Woman of the Year, Rudyard Kipling on King Kong, and Willa Cather on Queen Christina. (Ecphrastic poetry requires the viewer/poet to "enter into" the spirit and feeling of the subject through a variety of poetic stances: describing, noting, reflecting, or addressing.) Several poems concern our relations with dogs--commercial, affective, and in the case of Freud, to round off the psychoanalytic theme, tragic. Yet a comic atmosphere pervades, though it is not certain to what degree the laughter is a comfort, the wit a solace. It is to be hoped, finally, that the stress falls on the second word of the title.

Richard Howard moves ahead with marvelous aplomb--he recently turned 70--and every few years he lets us in to see the humble, triumphant improvements. --Melanie Rehak, salon.com ... Read more

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another suberb collection from an established master
Richard Howard continues to dazzle us with his wit and erudition and uncanny ability to enter the consciousness of his chosen personae. But there is more to savor in this recent collection than the riches we areused to from Howard. These recent poems move us also with their fearlessrisk taking and depth of feeling. This is poetry for lovers of great poetryin the tradition of Browning and, yes, William Shakespeare. ... Read more