ebooks Napoleon: How He Did It : The Memoirs of Baron Fain; First Secretary of the Emperor's Cabinet by Agathon-Jean-Fr Fain; Baron Fain in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The only man in the room with NapoleonBy gregg gullicksonFor some reason I always enjoy the little things learned when reading about famous people; and this book by Napoleon's secretary is great for seeing some of these fine details. My favorite is the image of Napoleon working through the issues of the Empire with only his secretary in the room and then realizing he had a letter to write and giving the order: Write! The secretary would jump up and take his rapid dictation. This happened scores of times a day every day.Although written almost 200 years ago; the book is relevant to leaders of today.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Napoleonic Memoirs on the Organization of the EmpireBy Lucien BonaparteThis is a concise set of observations on how Napoleon's cabinet was structured and how the Emperor interacted with the imperial government. Although less detailed than Meneval's memoirs of Napoleon; Baron Fain presents a topical approach to the period. We learn about the physical layout of Napoleon's inner sanctum as well as how he ordered his staff and cabinet on campaign. Baron Fain; who enjoyed the Emperor's trust and confidence; serves as a useful observer on the many meetings Napoleon held with his ministers and military staff. Did Baron Fain idolize Napoleon? Yes. That being said; he manages to offer a very balanced and honest appraisal of Napoleon's strengths and weaknesses as a head of state. Overall; this is a very important memoir and it was a pleasure to read.2 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Strictly for the NapoleonophileBy A CustomerBaron Fain must be the ultimate fawn. His memoirs are a paean to Napoleon's genius. However; the details of Napoleon's Govt Apparatus are all here and there are nuggets of anecdotal information that one could revel in.