Napoleon

Zakelijk management is nauw verwant aan politiek en militair leidinggeven. Succes is het resultaat van een sterke strategie, constante evaluatie van de omstandigheden en de juiste antwoorden hierop: dit vat Napoleon Bonaparte perfect samen. Bovendien is hij voor hedendaagse leiders extra interessant omdat hij op zoveel gebieden actief is geweest: HR, marketing, financieel beleid, operationele leiding, ... Napoleon-kenner en communicatieconsultant Johan Op de Beeck vertelt hoe de weergaloze successen - en ook de fouten - van Napoleon meer dan tweehonderd jaar later managers kunnen inspireren.

Napoleon - Inspiratie voor hedendaags management en leidinggeven - is geschreven door de Belgische Napoleon kenner Johan Op de Beeck. Deze bekende journalist en nieuwspresentator schreef al vijf bestsellers over het tijdperk van Napoleon:

- Napoleons Nachtmerrie (2012);

- Waterloo (2013);

- Napoleon (2014);

- Het hart van Napoleon (2016);

En ook dus Napoleon - Inspiratie voor hedendaags management en leidinggeven. Dit boek werd uitgegeven door Uitgeverij Horizon in 2019. 

De andere boeken van Napoleon Bonaparte geschreven door Johan Op de Beeck waren telkens fantastisch om te lezen. Ik was dus echt benieuwd naar het boek over Napoleon, inspiratie voor hedendaags management en leidinggeven. 

Welke lessen uit de geschiedenis kunnen hedendaagse leidinggevenden trekken? Wat kan Napoleon Bonaparte hen leren? Is het leven van Napoleon wel te vergelijken met dat van de manager van nu? Dat wordt allemaal uitgelegd in het meeslepende boek.

Het boek is een must-read voor wie houdt van bedrijfspsychologie, management en geschiedenis. Ik vond het zelf een verrassende maar boeiende en fantastische combinatie. 

Napoleon - Inspiratie voor hedendaags management en leidinggeven - wordt aangeboden bij het abonnement op Kobo Plus. 

Foto's in blogpost: Titelpagina boek

Wellington against Junot

The first French invasion of Portugal in 1807 - which was commanded by Junot, one of Napoleon's most experienced generals - was a key event in the long, brutal Peninsular War, and it was the first campaign fought in the Peninsular by Sir Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, yet it tends to be overshadowed by more famous episodes in the six-year conflict that followed. David Buttery, in this original and perceptive new study, sets the record straight - his tightly focused narrative covers the entire campaign in vivid detail.

Readers of my blogs: https://allaboutroyalfamilies.blogspot.com/ and 

https://mycrazylifefullwithbooks.blogspot.com/  already know that I'm interested in royal history and especially about Russia, Napoleon, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi) and Queen Victoria. So, I was very happy that Kobo plus offers a series of books about General Wellington and the Portuguese invasion. This is a period during the reign of Napoleon which is less known for me. I read three books:

- Wellington against Junot

- Wellington against Soult

At the heart of David Butterys third book on the Peninsular War lies the comparison between two great commanders of enormous experience and reputation Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, and Jean de Dieu Soult. In Soult, Wellesley met one of his most formidable opponents and they confronted each other during one of the most remarkable, and neglected, of the Peninsular campaigns. Soults invasion of Portugal is rarely studied in great depth and, likewise, the offensive Wellesley launched, which defeated and expelled the French, has also received scant coverage. As well as giving a fresh insight into the contrasting characters of the two generals, the narrative offers a gripping and detailed, reconstruction of the organization and experience of a military campaign 200 years ago.

- Wellington against Massena

Wellington's clash with Massena was one of the most remarkable contests between two commanders in the Peninsular War. These two formidable generals carried on a campaign of maneuver, battle and attrition across Spain and Portugal in 1810 and 1811 which had a decisive impact on the outcome of the war. Wellington's reputation was enhanced, Massena's was ruined.David Buttery's close analysis of this extraordinary encounter offers a penetrating insight into the personalities of these two outstanding soldiers. Using a variety of sources, in particular eyewitness accounts from both sides, he reassesses the famous confrontations at Ciudad Rodrigo, Almeida, Busaco, the lines of Torres Vedras and the final bitterly fought battle at Fuentes de Ooro.He sheds new light on this pivotal episode in the Napoleonic Wars and his account corrects the one-sided view of the campaign that has survived to the present day. In particular he reconsiders the true cost of the scorched earth policy that was employed against the French

All the books are talking about the Invasion of Portugal in the Napoleonic Wars. They are published by Pen & Sword Books Ltd. 

Wellington shouldn't be introduced to the English readers of this blog and to the history lovers. But perhaps the Generals of Napoleon Bonaparte are less famous. Nevertheless these series are clearly written and very interesting to learn about the different invasions in Portugal. It is an excellent reading to know the people and even the spirit of the age. So it's very recommendable for royal history lovers. 

Source pictures: Book covers

The History of Portugal

Beautiful Porto in Portugal - my favourite place in town -
 own picture taken in 2019

 

The Story of Portugal possesses a peculiar interest from the fact that it is to its history alone that the country owes its existence as a separate nation Geographically, the little kingdom is an integral portion of the Iberian peninsula, with no natural boundaries to distinguish it from that larger portion of the peninsula called Spain; its inhabitants spring from the same stock as the Spaniards, and their language differs but slightly from the Spanish. Its early history is merged in that of the rest of the peninsula, and but for two great men, Affonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, and John I., the founder of the house of Aviz, Portugal would not at the present day rank among the independent nations of Europe. The first of these monarchs created his dominions into a kingdom like Leon, Castile, and Aragon, and the latter encouraged the maritime explorations which gave the little country an individuality and national existence, of which it was justly proud. When Philip II. annexed Portugal in 1580, it was at least a century too late for the Portuguese to coalesce with the Spaniards. They had then produced Vasco da Gama and Alboquerque and other great captains and explorers, who had shown Europe the way to India by sea; and their tongue had been developed by the genius of Camoens and Sá de Miranda, from a Romance dialect, similar to those used in Gallicia, Castile, or Aragon, into a great literary language. Conscious of its national history, Portugal broke away again from Spain in 1640, and under the protection of England maintained its separate existence during the eighteenth century…

Portugal, a beautiful country in West Europe near the Atlantic Ocean always had interested me very much. Besides the lovely cities, the Algarve and the excellent port wine, Portugal has more assets for visitors. It really has an amazing (royal) history. That's why I chose to read 'The History of Portugal' via the Kobo reader of Bol.com. 

Book cover

The history of Portugal is clearly written by H.Morse Stephens. The book is divided in comprehensible chapters and it mentions all the big events in the history of the country. And of course it has a chapter about the great explorers of Portugal.

In my country, due to Covid-19, there is something as a staycation. With books as this one, though it is about history, I can make a virtual travel to one of the most beautiful countries in southern Europe ... 

I will use this book to study the interesting Portuguese (royal) history and it really is to recommend for anyone who is interested in history and the most important events in Portugal.