Patrick Ranbaud (1 results)

Softcover. Condition: Very Good. Grove Press Historical Books (Grove Press) Battle, The (VG+)Manufacturer: Grove PressProduct Line: Historical Books (Grove Press)Type: SoftcoverCopyright Date: 2001Author: Patrick RanbaudPage Count: 320Please review the condition and any condition notes for the exact condition of this item. All pictures are stock photos. The condition of the item you will receive is VG+. Our grading system is explained in the terms of sale section of our bookseller page. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Product Description:The winner of the Prix Goncourt and Grand Prix du Roman de l'Academie Francaise, The Battle is a brilliant, compelling novelization of the battle of Essling, Napoleon's first major defeat. The battle of Essling has long been overlooked by historians and novelists, but Rambaud, relying on research notes compiled by Honore de Balzac, has re-created the confrontation with exceptional skill.Balzac had always wanted to write this novel, but he never moved past the research stage. Picking up where his predecessor left off, Rambaud renders the epic battle in all its pageantry, violence, and chaos. The Battle opens on May 16, 1809, as Napoleon's forces confront the assembled armies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at Essling, near Vienna. Angered by the Austrians' challenge to his rule over their land, Napoleon is determined to crush the enemy troops with the quick maneuvers that won so many previous battles. Yet the French soon find that the wide-open Austrian plains are not conducive to their techniques, as the enemy's sheer manpower begins to overwhelm them.