How the French Won Waterloo

I bought this book at the top of the Arc de Triomphe.  Enough said.

I found it entertaining, but serious at the same time, as it is a statement of the way things are.  Of course hindsight generates a lot of excuses.  Napoleon was also a master propagandist and that has spilled over on to his followers (legendary, if potentially mythical,  Nicolas Chauvin for example).

My favourite bit was this prayer:

Notre Empereur qui êtes à Sainte-Hélène

Que votre nom soit respecte

Que votre règne revienne

Que votre volonté soit faite

Contre tous les ultras qui nous ôtent nos pensions

Débarrassez-nous des maudits Bourbons

Ainsi soit-il.

Regardless of the outcome of the battle, Napoleon certainly dominates the world stage.