I checked the recommended section and it seems Napoleonic France has mostly books on the military side of things. Thats fine, but I want to learn the other parts of the Empire too. Any good books?
There is unfortunately no good book in English on the economy, society, and institutions of Napoleonic France, although there are many books that deal with specific aspects of the subject. For an overall view, however, I recommend some recent biographies of Napoleon that, in addition to his military achievements, do discuss how he administered and transformed France. To my mind, the best are three volumes by Philip Dwyer -- Napoleon:The Path to Power; Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power; and Napoleon: Passion, Death and Resurrection, 1815-1840. You might also enjoy Michael Broers, Napoleon, Soldier of Destiny and Alan Forrest, Napoleon.