There are great moments in history when it is accelerating Caesar crossing the Rubicon, Hannibal the Alps and the first Consul Bonaparte became Emperor Napoleon.
The purpose of "The Conversation" is Bonaparte (end 1803 the Tuileries, the night) that book explains, persuades and convinces finally Cambacérès need for interior and exterior balance of power France strong surpassing the Bourbons and the Republic.
This dialogue "imaginary and historic" is superb, written by a master hand Ormesson, full of erudition and anecdotes about the period and the characters, and that with the clarity and pedagogy. The set is very realistic because forward about Jean d'Ormesson says that he used to speak Bonaparte that among his true words from stories, reports, correspondence and memoirs.
