Book : Moscow 1812 Napoleons Fatal March - Zamoyski, Adam

-Titulo Original : Moscow 1812 Napoleons Fatal March

-Fabricante :

Harper Perennial

-Descripcion Original:

Napoleon dominated nearly all of Europe by 1810, largely succeeding in his aim to reign over the civilized world. But Britain eluded him. To conquer the island nation, he needed Russias Tsar Alexanders help. The Tsar refused, and Napoleon vowed to teach him a lesson by intimidation and force. The ensuing invasion of Russia, during the frigid winter of 1812, would mark the beginning of the end of Napoleons empire. Although his army captured Moscow after a brutal march deep into hostile territory, it was a hollow victory for the demoralized troops. Napoleons men were eventually turned back, and their defeat was a momentous turning point in world affairs. Dramatic, insightful, and enormously absorbing, Moscow 1812 is a masterful work of history. Review “Adam Zamoyski’s account of the 1812 campaign is so brilliant that it is impossible to put the book aside.” - Michael Burleigh, The Sunday Times“A harrowing account. ... Utterly admirable. It combines clarity of thought and prose with a strong narrative drive.” - Antony Beevor, The Daily Telegraph“Told with vigor, sweep, and insight, Moscow 1812 brings this epic moment to life in a thoroughly fascinating way.” - Jay Winik, author of April 1865“Zamoyski elegantly delivers gripping storytelling, bold revisionism, and poignant suffering.” - Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Evening Standard“Hundreds of books have been written about Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. Moscow 1812 is perhaps the best.” - John Lukacs, author of Five Days in London“Powerful. . . . Brilliant. Zamoyski’s exposition of the 1812 campaign is a model of elegant clarity.” - T.J. Binyon, The Sunday Telegraph“A brilliant, chilling account.” - Ed Vulliamy, The Observer About the Author Adam Zamoyski was born in New York and educated at Oxford. He is the author of Moscow 1812. He lives in London. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Moscow 1812Napoleons Fatal MarchBy Zamoyski, AdamPerennialISBN: 006108686XChapter OneCaesarAs the first cannon shot thundered out from the guns drawn up before the Invalides on the morning of 20 March 1811, an extraordinary silence fell over Paris. Wagons and carriages came to a standstill, pedestrians halted, people appeared at their windows, schoolboys looked up from their books. Everyone began to count as the discharges succeeded each other at a measured pace. In the stables of the Ecole Militaire, the cavalry of the Guard were grooming their horses. Suddenly, the sound of a gun from the Invalides stopped every arm, suspended every movement; brushes and curry-combs hung in the air, according to one young Chasseur. In the midst of this multitude of men and horses, you could have heard a mouse stir.As news had spread on the previous evening that the Empress had gone into labour, many patrons had given their workmen the next day off, and these swarmed expectantly in the streets around the Tuileries palace. The Paris Bourse had ceased dealing that morning, and the only financial transactions taking place were bets on the sex of the child. But the excitement was just as great among those who had nothing riding on it.It would be difficult to imagine with what anxiety the first cannon shots were counted, recalled one witness: everyone knew that twentyone would announce the birth of a girl, and one hundred that of a boy. A profound silence reigned until the twenty-first, but when the twenty-second roared forth, there was an explosion of congratulation and cheering which rang out simultaneously in every part of Paris. People went wild, embracing total strangers and shouting Vive lEmpereur! Others danced in the streets as the remaining seventyeight shots thundered out in a rolling barrage.Paris had never, even on the greatest holidays, offered a picture of more general joyfulness, noted another witness; there was celebration everywhere. A balloon went up, bearing into the sky the celebrated aeronaut Madame Blan