WATERLOO: Napoleon's Last Gamble.

UK,small 8vo HB+protected dw/dj,ex-public library,1st edn.[ Number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2.A title from the Making History series.] VG+/FINE.An ex-public library book,so no owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to protected dw/dj.Front free endpaper has a 'WITHDRAWN FROM PLYMOUTH LIBRARY SERVICES' red inked library stamp and to the verso of title-page,towards it's foot and bottom left-hand corner, a black-inked public library stamp,a green-inked public library stamp to top edges,a vertical, black-inked public library stamp to fore-edges, another black-inked public library stamp to bottom edges too; and to rear pastedown is a rectangular white paper security(?) label pasted to it,plus to foot of rear endpaper another black-inked public library stamp.These are the complete and only public library notations/ indications to the book.Protected in a clear protective sleeve,a bright,crisp,clean,red background with colour photographic (Army officer's Coatee) illustrated dw/dj,with critics' reviews to rear panel, gilt+b/w lettering; with negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners - no major nicks or tears present - though some light and inevitable fading/
sunning to it's spine/backstrip - and book has a slight lean.Bright, crisp,clean,publisher's original,plain black cloth boards with bright ,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip,and plain white endpapers with afore-mentioned listed imperfections or library markings.Front top two corners minimally bumped.Contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners.Described honestly and fairly - even as an ex-library book,with the listed imperfections - it's still in an acceptable condition and state.
The career of Napoleon and the advancement of the greatest personal epic since Julius Caesar were brought to a shuddering halt on the evening of Sunday,18 June 1815.In his spirited account of one of the most significant 48-hour periods of all time,Andrew Roberts combines revealing recent research with extraordinary pace as he expands the five key phases of the battle.
A new chief of staff; a missed opportunity to advance; an untimely and accidental cavalry attack; an apocalyptic downpour that fatally softened the earth underfoot and thwarted the Emperor's colossal cannon; a myriad of partially-informed snap decisions - were elements that allowed Wellington's armies to grasp victory from the command of France.Amongst the all-too-human explanations for the blunder that cost Napoleon his throne,Roberts sets the political,startegic and historical scene, and finally shows why Waterloo was such an important historical punctuation mark.
The generation after Waterloo saw the birth of the modern era: henceforth wars were fought with infinitely more appalling methods by constantly changing blocs of powers.
By the time of the Great War,chivalry was dead.The honour of bright uniform,the tangible spirit of elan,esprit and eclat and - at least initially - the aesthetic beauty of battle took their final dance at Waterloo.
Andrew Roberts is a Fellow of the Institute of Napoleonic Studies and has lectured onNapoleon in America,Canada and Britain.Along with Colonel John Hughes-Wilson of the Corps of Battlefield Guides,
he conducts annual tours to Waterloo under the auspices of Tours With Experts.
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