"Well, we will write our memoirs."

December 4, 2008 12:55 AM

The Napoleon Series has been collecting Napoleonic scholarship since 1995. Its monstrously replete archive includes articles on Napoleon's role in Jewish emancipation, the Institute of Egypt and its investigation of the Rosetta Stone, obscure British generals, the Malet Conspiracy, and the never realized North American Empire; memoirs from the Russian Archives; and a massive collection of maps and battlefield tours.
posted by Iridic (4 comments total)

For further reading re Napoleon and Egypt see also Juan Cole's (yes that Juan Cole) other blog Napoleon's Egypt.
posted by adamvasco at 4:05 AM on December 4, 2008

Why is it every cool dude or dudette I know went through a Napoleon phase growing up? Like other people put up WHAM! posters and they bought a bust?
posted by The Whelk at 6:11 AM on December 4, 2008

Wow, this is incredible—and very timely, since I'm currently reading War and Peace. Bookmarked, with thanks!

I love General Buxhöwden’s Report to General Kutuzov on the Battle of Austerlitz; the first sentence reads: "If a battle, successful in all points, distinguishes the best, where one [thing] draws another to the enemy’s decisive victory, then courage, firmness and success in one place have a right to particular honors while the superior enemy have scattered and pursued all other forces. [1]" and footnote 1 reads "Even in Russian it is unclear what Buxhöwden meant by this sentence."
posted by languagehat at 10:58 AM on December 4, 2008

I recently had the chance to peruse La Description de l'Egypte and the art is amazing. And a bit saucy. If hieroglyphics are to be believed, "walking like an Egyptian" involves sporting a full-on erection. Not sure how the Bangles missed that detail.
posted by roger ackroyd at 9:31 AM on December 5, 2008