Evaluating Napoleon's Political Skills

By Scott Simon
Published August 14, 2004 at 12:00 AM EDT
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Cover of 'Napoleon, A Political Life'

Historian Steven Englund's new book is called Napoleon, A Political Life.

He tells NPR's Scott Simon that he wanted to take a look at Napoleon the conquering emperor from a slightly different angle: his political powers.

Englund's view: The diminutive leader was more like a poker play than a chess player.

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Scott Simon
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.
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