Why Napoleon? Read on to discover how this unlikely man—who’s both revered and reviled—defined an era. But you won’t learn much about battles here. I’m interested in Napoleon himself, in the people around him, and in the culture of his era. St. Helena Island in the remote South Atlantic, where Napoleon spent the last five years of his life in exile (and which I visited in 2011), is a particular fascination of mine.
My novel, FINDING NAPOLEON—with its adaptation of Napoleon Bonaparte’s real attempt to write a novel—offers a fresh take on Europe’s most powerful man after he’s lost everything. A forgotten woman of history, the audacious Albine de Montholon, narrates their tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal.
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Under FINDING NAPOLEON, the latest about my historical novel; Under ABOUT, a bit about me and a photo gallery of my travels; Under PARIS, CORSICA, and ST HELENA, info about Napoleon in those locations; Under MARGARET’S BLOG, posts on Napoleonic topics, also accessible under Categories in the sidebar or in chronological order below. Enjoy!
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Seen at the Centre Pompidou in Paris: An almost life-size rendering of Napoleon Bonaparte, by Gaston Chaissac (1910 – 1964, French), in oil on wood in 1961. I love it because it is so clearly Napoleon!
Based on an interview with book blogger Deborah Kalb How did you first learn about Napoleon’s effort to write a novel, and at what point did you decide to write Finding Napoleon? Years ago, I came across a mention that young Napoleon Bonaparte had tried to write a romantic novel of love, war, and betrayal. When I …
LIST OF AWARDS: 2021 IPPY Awards Gold Winner in Best First Book—Fiction 2021 International Book Awards Best New Fiction finalist 2021 American Fiction Awards Best New Fiction Finalist 2021 American Fiction Awards Best Historical Fiction Finalist Historical Personage Rights Sold: Hungarian Language Serbian Language Bulgarian Language Worldwide AUDIO English Language
ASK AUTHOR MARGARET RODENBERG TO JOIN YOU! Contact Margaret to set up a Virtual Meeting. She’ll share the backstory of why she wrote Finding Napoleon, photos from her own voyage to St. Helena Island, and her thoughts on the “message” of the novel. And answer any questions your group may have about the history and …
FINDING NAPOLEON: 200 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH Napoleon died on St. Helena Island on May 5, 1821, two hundred years ago today. Ceremonies were held in Paris and on St. Helena. His legacy—both revered and reviled—is as divisive as it ever was. Roger Cohen’s article in today’s New York Times does a better job than I …
