I found this to be the perfect introduction to the life of Napoleon for a general lay reader who is not an expert or trying to become an expert. It moves briskly but manages to touch on many dimensions of Napoleon’s life – his upbringing, personality, his marriage, his military campaigns, his role in the French Revolution and French politics and diplomacy. It seems to present a balanced take on the dark and positive sides of Napoleon’s legacy and role in history. The writing is sophisticated but not academic. This was exactly the kind of biography I was looking for.