I almost put 3 stars, the last chapter is the fourth. I welcome the approach of S. Tesson for his pilgrimage to the Grand Army put on paper with a beautiful pen. If I thought put 3 stars is that his own story interested me without fascinate me and that the historical narrative that fascinates me it is much richer in other books dealing exclusively with the subject as the "memoirs of Sergeant Burgundy "for example. I did not know S.Tesson, but I live in Chamonix. In a bookshop in the village I see an author has an associated publishing house Chamonix and Napoleon who I worships. I must say that I liked this story for two reasons: The Empire thrills me to the depths of my soul, and the reflections of Mr. Tesson on the west, the world or "merchants have earned" engendering a society individualistic consumption or men "are ready to die for bearing their door" made me happy. Mr. shard has had to put a lot of books about it and I recognized a few keywords like "society of the spectacle" of Guy Debord. The last chapter is a summary of "scoop" a pleasure to read. Quenelle of diversity, the merchants, the elites, to cut ignorant of their history, modernity etc ... The book is punctuated other well placed dumplings. Compared to the history of the retreat from Russia, Mr. Tesson perfectly describes the transition back to the Berezina, November 26, 1815. It dedicates several pages showing accurately the agony of the Grand Army of phantoms. This passage is one of the highlight of the book, the disaster is palpable. Other passages are also profound reflections when the ideals of the people there are two centuries, thanks to the genius who dreamed of their Emperor to something far greater than the "big screen TV." They were animated by a great flame that is foreign to us if not read these stories of eras, that Mr. Tesson did. Finally, one of his thoughts on why I do not agree: "Napoleon suffered it to have opened the gates of war?" Napoleon never declared war. There is talk of Napoleonic wars, we should talk of coalition wars. France has been declared war (3, 4, 5 and 6th coalition) funded by the powers England. Napoleon was related to the war because he defended his creation was a mixed between the ideals of the republic and the mores of the time (the monarchy) that was the Empire. It should not be forgotten that in 1789 during the French called bourgeois revolution, 90% of French that is to say the peasantry, were royalist. This is because the republic, universal in its essence so dedicated to the conquest (and today is only the continuity in the Middle East for example), had declared war on the whole of Europe. So europe wanted to throw it down. Napoleon's throne was hanging by his victories and was chained to war. Finally, this story is a tribute above all to the Grand Army, as the greatness of the Emperor and his system that rewards individual merit, and a short but profound critique of standardized modern world, consumer and ignorant its roots and the rest.
