Napoleon

I bought Napoleon: Total War earlier, and it's been tearing me apart waiting for it to download. As I wait, I decided to pick up a book I've had for about a year, but I never really bothered to start because it seemed so intimidating.



I really wish I would've started it sooner. I sort of got into a Napoleon podcast a few months ago, which releases episodes explaining the era in chronological order. The host's enthusiasm bordered a little on 'batshit,' so it didn't really keep my attention.

The preface of this book explains how historians debate on whether or not Napoleon was a 'good guy' or a 'bad guy.' This author puts him in the 'bad guy' camp, saying that Napoleon supported all the ideals of revolutionary France, but for all the wrong reasons. More freedoms for the people was simply a byproduct of his climb to power. And he actually backs it up too (Napoleon was constantly picked on growing up and always overcompensated and developed a skill for lying, he was a history buff and strongly admired the tyrant Julius Caesar, etc).

The podcast guy on the other hand practically orgasmed every time he mentioned Napoleon's name. Napoleon could do no wrong, he was simply carrying out the wars because every other country in Europe hated democracy, Napoleon was defending it. Author guy actually brings that point up, and says it's greatly exaggerated. They both seem pretty biased, but the author actually puts evidence forward, so I'm probably going to stick with him for now. I really want to know why all my history classes skipped over this. It was basically the real World War I. Hitler was quite literally a bumbling retard, and the power of Nazi Germany could probably be considered a fluke. Napoleon Bonaparte was practically the resurrection of Julis Caesar on steroids. He was utterly brilliant. It gives me shivers, thinking about about what he could've done if he had modern weapons.

I don't even know why I made this post. I just really want this fucking game to download.



"Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me."