David Chandler. "The Campaigns of Napoleon: History Greatest Soldiers" is almost the must-have Englidh-speaking book on the subject. The author greatly admired Napoleon for his genius, will power and work ethics and greatly critical of the mistakes that led to Napoleon downfall. My impressions on Chandler' s masterwork is that he is too enamored with the idea of the great man. Almost all Napoleon' s victories are attributed to Napoleon' s plannings and hardworks while almost all defeats are attributed to his personality flaws. While many parts of it was outdated, it was still the most comprehensive overview of the era. The book opinions of Napoleon swing between the extremes.

Owen Connelly. "Blundering into Glory" is another ones with several parts out of date but it is a favorite of mine. Connelly intrepreted the events described by Chandler in a more cynical/realistic attitudes. Instead of being a great planner, his plans often failed, it was the improvisions and other factors that catapulted him into the success he is. This was more of an examination from a critical perspectives than a biography.

Many of the books that can be critical of Napoleon can be the biographies of his allies turned enemies. The biographies of Talleyrand and Bernadotte contained what they believed are wrong with Napoleon' s diplomatic strategies and other areas. There is often a contrast from biographers in portraying the beloved, scheming fatherly figure of Bernadotte against the highly-demanding, narccissist figure of Napoleon.