audiobook Shamanism by Piers Vitebsky in History

Description

One of the most colorful characters in the Napoleonic pantheon; Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (1742–1819) is best known as the Prussian general who; along with the Duke of Wellington; defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Throughout his long career; Blücher distinguished himself as a bold commander; but his actions at times appeared erratic and reckless. This magnificent biography by Michael V. Leggiere; an award-winning historian of the Napoleonic Wars; is the first scholarly book in English to explore Blücher’s life and military career—and his impact on Napoleon.Drawing on exhaustive research in European archives; Leggiere eschews the melodrama of earlier biographies and offers instead a richly nuanced portrait of a talented leader who; contrary to popular perception; had a strong grasp of military strategy. Nicknamed “Marshal Forward” by his soldiers; he in fact retreated more often than he attacked. Focusing on the campaigns of 1813; 1814; and 1815; Leggiere evaluates the full effects of Blücher’s operations on his archenemy.In addition to providing military analysis; Leggiere draws extensively from Blücher’s own writings to reveal the man behind the legend. Though tough as nails on the outside; Blücher was a loving family man who deplored the casualties of war. This meticulously written biography; enhanced by detailed maps and other illustrations; fills a large gap in our understanding of a complex man who; for all his flaws and eccentricities; is justly credited with releasing Europe from the yoke of Napoleon’s tyranny.