'clear, well researched, always interesting' -Nigel Nicolson, History Today; 'The title and the handsome appearance of this book are in danger of obscuring its scholarly value - Napoleon is presented to scholars in a new guise: the Eagle both in splendour and as chie-en-lit - the author's urbane and witty style - [his] vivid description of the Napoleonic Court in this well-documented, attractively produced, but inexpensive book' -John Mackrell, Journal of Modern History - 'Although this may seem simply a well illustrated coffee-table book, there is more to it than this suggests. Mansel's book derives from a sound archival and bibliographical base - It is hard not to agree with [his] perceptive comment that it has really been the manufactured splendour of style which accounts for the continuing fascination with the Emperor, of which this is a not unworthy example' - Clive H. Church, British Journal of Eighteenth Century Studies; 'a fascinating read. Mansel is excellent at selecting and retelling illustrative anecdotes. His account of the organisation of court life is riveting, and he argues persuasively that Napoleon's political convictions were spelled out in the organisation of his day-to-day life and entourage...highly recommended.' - Marion Koob, LSE Review of Books