The Note Books of Captain Coignet

Coignet's memoirs, regarded as among the best of the Napoleonic period, create an abiding impression of life in Napoleon's armies and are now published for the first time in paperback. An active soldier throughout the wars -- he was there at Austerlitz, Jena, Madrid, Vienna, Moscow, Leipzig, and Waterloo -- Coignet witnessed the major events of the era and set them down in a thoroughly readable and inspirational account that has withstood the test of time. He leaves a powerful yet modest record of his life and adventures and paints a vivid portrait not only of Napoleon but also of the soldiers who fought and died for him. His own lively sense of humor and remarkably detailed observations on human nature pervade the book and make for the captivating story of an individual surviving -- sometimes just barely -- the rise and fall of empires.