The Story of Civilization, Part XI: The Age of Napoleon: A History of European Civilization from 1789 to 1815

A sweeping portrait of an age, this book--the 11th and final volume in Will and Ariel Durant's Story of Civilization series--makes Napoleon its hero. The Durants, capable of switching from art to science to warfare with ease and skill, rank among the world's great popular historians. This adroitness requires some condensation: the description of Waterloo, for instance, takes up about three pages. If you want a detailed history of Napoleon's battle orders, look elsewhere, but if you want to understand the age and the man--in that order--The Age of Napoleon is a great place to begin.

• Rousseau and Revolution: A History of Civilization in France, England, and Germany from 1756, and in the Remainder of Europe from 1715, to 1789 (Story of Civilization, 10)
• Our Oriental Heritage (Story of Civilization)
• The Age of Voltaire: A History of Civilization in Western Europe from 1715 to 1756, With Special Emphasis on the Conflict Between Religion and Philosophy (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 9)
• The Age of Faith: A History of Medieval Civilization-Christian, Islamic, and Judaic-From Constantine to Dante : A.D. 325-1300 (The Story of Civilization, 4) (Vol 4)
• The Life of Greece (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 2)
• The Age of Louis XIV (The Story of Civilization VIII)
• Caesar and Christ: A History of Roman Civilization and of Christianity from Their Beginnings to A.D. 325 (Story of Civilization)
• The Story of Civilization: The Reformation : A History of European Civilization from Wyclif to Calvin : 1300-1564
• The Renaissance: A History of Civilization in Italy from 1304-1576 A.D. (Story of Civilization, 5)
• The Age of Reason Begins (The Story of Civilization VII)