Though nearly a half-century has passed since its initial publication, David Chandler's study of Napoleon Bonaparte's military campaigns remains unsurpassed -- and after reading it, it is easy to see why. Over the course of a thousand pages, Chandler charts Napoleon's military career, from his early years at the École Militaire to his final defeat in the Hundred Days campaign. Aided by a generous selection of maps, he details the maneuvers of every campaign and the course of every major battle, each of which he concludes with a convincing analysis of the factors involved in the result. While the campaigns themselves dominate the text, Chandler also analyses the armies involved, describing their organization, their weaponry, and their reputation on the battlefield. The combination provides readers with an encyclopedic account of Napoleon's wars, yet Chandler's writing reflects the flair and dash that came to be associated with his subject's battlefield exploits. The result is a work that, despite its age, remains the standard by which histories of Napoleonic warfare are judged. ( )

This book probably arose from Chandler's time lecturing at Sandhurst. It is a very good one volume analysis of the campaigns of a very active soldier indeed. The mapping and the prose are good, and the depth of the study is exacting. If you want one book on Napoleon the soldier this is it. Both the personal life and the politics are not covered in any great detail and would require other books to flesh out the portrait of the man. This is a book that I have read and dipped into for spot references. ( )

If you only ever read one book on the Napoleonic Wars - This is the one ! ( )

The definitive single volume book, and one much treasured from my youngest days.

Chandler's account of the Napoleonic wars is a classic. I still pick it up from time to time to immerse myself in one of Napoleon's campaigns. It is obvious that Chandler knows what he is talking about and his concise yet vibrant style of writing never fails to impress me. Stranded on a desert island, I would want this book in my 10-book library. It deserves hyperbole. ( )