The Corsican: A Diary of Napoleon's Life in His Own Words

What it is

This book, published in 1910, gathers Napoleon Bonaparte's own letters and recorded sayings and arranges them like a diary, following the order of his life. It was compiled long after his death and digitised from a library copy.

Why it matters

By pulling together Napoleon's own words from many sources, this collection gives readers a sense of his voice across different periods of his career, from young officer to emperor and exile. It shows how later editors shaped and curated his legacy for readers of their time.

Look closer

• Why might an editor arrange someone's letters and sayings as a 'diary' even if they weren't written that way?
• What is gained and what is lost when quotations are taken out of their original letters?
• Whose choices decide which of Napoleon's words are included here?