[.ca] The Napoleonic Wars (ISBN 006085121X)

From Amazon.com:
Military historian Gunther Rothenberg provides a detailed account of the Napoleonic Wars in this installment of Cassell's multivolume series covering the history of warfare. The treatment is predominantly military rather than social. The matter-of-fact, dispassionate text is rich in tactical details and statistics, augmented by contemporary paintings, well-designed maps, and diagrams. The actions of the protagonists' commanders are also critically assessed, with much attention given to Napoleon himself, stressing the power of his charisma but showing that his insistence on sole control ultimately proved a weakness. Significantly, The Napoleonic Wars aims to show that, far from being the end of a military era, this was a period marking the origins of modern warfare. Developments in army organization, strategy, and weaponry gained from the experience of over 20 years of war are progressively described. The main points of Rothenberg's argument, that Napoleonic strategies continued to be followed and that the sheer scale of war was revolutionary, are summed up in the brief epilogue. The bulk of the broadly chronological text is uncluttered by too much speculation; military-history buffs will appreciate The Napoleonic Wars for its clarity. --Karen Tiley, Amazon.co.uk

Interesting Survey of a Crucial Period in Military History:
This work in the Cassell History of Warfare series edited by noted historian John Keegan concerns the Napoleonic Period. A phase of military history notable for large armies, the rise of nationalism as a motivating force, and the development of a class of professional officers who actually began to study and reconsider military theory. Rothenburg does an admirable job in covering these ideas and giving a broad survey of the major campaigns, weapon systems, and military theories. For the more serious specialist readers, books about specific campaigns and battles (i.e the endless number concerning Waterloo) can fill in the fine details. For the academically minded, David Chandler's classic Campaigns of Napoleon remains definitive, but only focuses on the Emperor. In short: excellent for the non-specialist browser who might be curious in the conflicts which led to the creation of modern Europe.

Beautiful maps, Great Overview!:
As a sort of arm chair historian I found this book a little disapointing. It provides an overview of the Napoleonic Wars, but doesn't touch on the sociopolitical climate at all. It follows a chronological organization, but doesn't repeat dates often enough to a reliable timeline. On the other hand the maps are a treasure well worth the expenditure. I've found better timelines on websites, better overviews of the era at the library, and there are many more detailed sources available. Despite it's short comings I consider this book one of the pillars of my Napoleonic library, because of the many colour prints and pictures and the European maps showing territories controled by various players (French, English, Prussian, etc.) at different points during the war make it an excellent companion to more detailed texts such as Chandler, Osprey, and the Esposito-Elting Atlas.