Hi planeteers.
Christmass is coming, and i'm thinking to gift myself a new book. I saw yesterday Waterloo: The history of four days, three armies and three battles, wrote by Bernard Cornwell.
I don't know too much about this theme, so i can begin with a novel with historic background like this. My history ages goes from greeks to medieval. The critics are goods, but i know that Cornwell is a groopie of Wellington, so i've got doubts. His books of Sharpe must talk of a paralel dimension...
I see every day that here there are a lot of people diving in napoleonic period. Someone read it and can give me opinion please? I don't need a hard book to begin with the meeting of Napoleon and Wellington full of dates and names, but don't want a book of si-fi/propaganda neither

I haven't read it but have seen comments on some specialist sites that indicate thate that it seems to have been rushed for the 200th. Criticisms I have seen include technical errors and inaccuracies, poor copy editing and a perpetuation of the Anglo-centric school of "we won....the Prussians helped a but at the very end.....and all the Dutch and Belgians ran away." Apparently it doesn't use much recent scholarship. But again I haven't read it. Based on the reviews I have seen, I wouldn't buy it unless I found it on offer very cheap.

I picked this up cheap in a remainder store but haven't got round to reading it yet - one of those impulse purchases based on everyone raving about it. I may be doing the man a dis-service here but I am also somewhat sceptical based on having read Sharpe's Waterloo for a laugh, - all it was good for.
When almost every book shop I go into these days is full of new cash-in books exploiting the anniversary I would advise looking for books published a few years ago, written out of pure interest rather than what seems like an opportunity to make a quick buck. If you want to tip your toes into the subject with only one book I would suggest The Waterloo Companion by Mark Aidkin (everything you need to know with pictures, maps and diagrams galore), The Waterloo Campaign by Peter Hofschroer (from a German perspective) or Waterloo, New Perspectives by David Hamilton-Williams.










ign

this is my favorit till today.
https://ospreypublishing.com/waterloo-the-decisive-victory-slip-cased-hb

Marc

Mr. Cornwell's take on Waterloo is like the Sharpe novels,......if you like that sort of thing. No original research, a general,and occasionally inaccurate, mish-mash. The Mark Adkins Waterloo Companion is far and away one of the best from all points of the compass. It's heavy, though

Alan

Very grateful for your comments. It's clear. The book take the historical background to place the action without historical rigor. That's what i didn't like with Sharpe's gold, and what i don't want to read now. I opened the thread cause in my country the cristics are goods with the book, and my opinion of Cornwell is not the same. But only read one book, so, maybe i was wrong. I'll try to obtain a couple of the recommended books in my language. I hope find them.

Thankx mates.

I've read it. As I'd previously read 70% of Cornwell's secondary sources I found it well written as you'd expect from a professional author but nothing new. Much better in my view is "The Battle" by Barbero and "Waterloo" by David Chandler.

Cheers

Huw

You gotta go with Chandler for all things Napoleonic ; a real heavy read but well worth it and you will have to read it over and over to take it all in .

The Nap Bible


Ron

Hi folks.
The Barbero's one will come home in few days. I'm gonna search for Chandler in spanish.
Thanx again.

I think Ron is referring to his tome "The Campaigns of Napoleon" rather than his standalone on Waterloo. Both are good. I like Chalfonts's "Waterloo: Battle of Three Armies."

If you're after a good page turner to introduce you to Waterloo I can recommend 'the Battle' by Barbero too.
I am reading the Tim Clayton book at the moment, very good with a longer overview of the whole campaign so it's probably a better 2nd book after you know a bit more about the main battle and are 'hooked'.
I have heard the Cornwell book is a well written and gripping account but has some inaccuracies - I've got it and will read it but recommend Barbero first.
Cheers
Mat

I was referring to Chandlers Campaigns of Napoleon , I am not sure if it is still in print , I had to apply a special request to the library to get my hands on it and that was 25 years ago

Second hand copies of the Campaigns of Napoleon are available in Amazon. I'm sure new copies can be found somewhere.

Cheers

Huw

It won't be cheap

The thing about Chandlers work is , he goes into every detail of how Napoleons system of organisation of the army , grand tactics . and the change into battle field tactics worked or how they did not at waterloo ,a battle he really should have won .

Knowledge is priceless... ;-)

That'll be some fine accumulating now Ron.

I doubt it - the library probably closed 20 years ago! He's a canny Scot remember!

Is this a second Waterloo book by Cornwell?
I have one of his also titled "Waterloo Companion"... an overview of the campaign and the three battles with a lot of references from contemporary diaries. Not sure exactly when it was published but it's definitely not 2015.
I like his writing style... I've read all of his series... and enjoyed this one as well. It's not a history text book and is actually a pleasant read.

This one being refered to is new to me, but I like Bernie as an author.

Colin