Napoleon I is still a polarizing figure even today and is usually presented either as an outstanding saviour or as an abysmal monster who was merely driven on by fast-moving events. In this concise and methodologically well-considered biography, Klaus Deinet now outlines Napoleon=s career& from his meteoric rise to his precipitous fall& as a sequence of decisions that built on each other and were essentially made by Napoleon himself. He contrasts the military victories with the excessive strain on France=s resources, and political successes with glaring diplomatic mistakes. Deinet succeeds in presenting Napoleon=s personality as a consistent whole, although one that underwent massive changes. This results in a manageable, balanced and exciting biography, which also takes the turbulence of the era into account.

Adjunct Prof. Klaus Deinet taught and carried out research at the University of Duisburg-Essen.