A glorious?and conclusive?chronicle of the wars waged by one of the most polarizing figures in military historyAcclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic as a new standard on the subject; this sweeping; boldly written history of the Napoleonic era reveals its central protagonist as a man driven by an insatiable desire for fame; and determined ?to push matters to extremes.? More than a myth-busting portrait of Napoleon; however; it offers a panoramic view of the armed conflicts that spread so quickly out of revolutionary France to countries as remote as Sweden and Egypt. As it expertly moves through conflicts from Russia to Spain; Napoleon?s Wars proves to be history writing equal to its subject?grand and ambitious?that will reframe the way this tumultuous era is understood.
#1405303 in Books Joe Jackson 2009-02-24 2009-02-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.43 x .89 x 5.53l; .78 #File Name: 0143114611432 pagesThe Thief at the End of the World Rubber Power and the Seeds of Empire
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A book with a journey!By GerryI read this book between 27 January and 12 February; 2013. I enjoyed this book and the education of the many good ian tribes. This book was everything I expected in terms of the historical story of rubber; the ; and the encroachment of humans upon a necessary resource. Parts of the book will cover the environment by default but this isn't the topic of the book. The topic is the history of rubber. My interest in this book is the attachment it has to the Second World War and the Imperial Forces of Japan in their capture of the Malayan peninsula because of their need for rubber. The rubber grown there were started as a result of the smuggled seeds from Brazil through one Henry Wickham. A terrific story that will take you on many journeys. I am giving this 4 stars as opposed to 5 because I believe another 100 pages of material could have been added based on scientific evolution and production numbers; slight more detail in this regard would have suited this book better. However; it is a very good story and historical account0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful; full of history and adventure.By TrevorSimply a wonderful book; well researched and full of passionate analysis of what actually happened. As somebody interested and well experienced in the science of rubber and has witnessed first hand the plight of the rubber producing areas and people; it was a fascinating read. For somebody not experienced; it would serve as a wonderfully insightful and eye-opening look into a largely unknown part of our cultures history. The stories behind the tire on your car; told through the eyes of an adventurous (mis-adventurous; perhaps!) man of the past.This book will fill in gaps in your historical knowledge; while also serving desires for adventure and nature. Worth every penny.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. An epic about rubber and its historyBy Denis Benchimol MinevRubber would not at first seem like such an exciting product. However; the history of it; from La Condamine's first samples brought from the to France to the momentous steal of seeds by Wickham (main character of the book) to Kew Gardens and later to Malaysia; is a truly outstanding saga of what would today be known as biopiracy but was at the time simply the obligation to serve the British crown.The economic collapse left behind by rubber in the is coupled with the progress brought upon the British colonies in southeast Asia. The book contemplates the history of why rubber (along with coal and steel) became such a valuable material desired and needed for much of the industrial and railroad revolution. The bottleneck was supply of rubber; which came from the tree in not too reachable circumstances in the . Wickham and the British crown sought to make it more productive and widely available (hence cheaper).In the midst of it all is the curious Wickham character - part idealist; part opportunist; who would eventually sacrifice everything (family; love; etc.) chasing dreams across the world from the to New Guinea.I highly recommend this book for anyone who is widely knowledgeable about the and would like more info on this singular event that changed its history.
