Napoleon Bonaparte

Book categories: New, Biographies, Rise & Fall, Writings, Associates, Josephine, Other Women, Stepson, Stepdaughter, Fiction, Jerome, Joseph, Pauline, Exiles & Death, French Revolution, Military Career, Waterloo, Egypt, Italy, Russia, Era, USA, Art, Miscellaneous, Napoleon II, Napoleon III, Other, Children's Books, Movies & Documentaries, French Royalty

New Books About Napoleon

Napoleon's Last Island: A Novel by Thomas Keneally. Banished to the island of Saint Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte finds an unexpected ally: a spirited British girl named Betsy Balcombe. Published in October 2016.

Napoleon Bonaparte by William Doyle. A brief biography of the man who rose from obscure origins and turned Europe upside down in a space of less than 20 years. Published in July 2016.

Betsy and the Emperor by Anne Whitehead. Brings to life Napoleon's last years on Saint Helena, revealing the role of the Balcombe family and pretty teenager Betsy Balcombe. Published in April 2016.

Napoleon: A Concise Biography by David A. Bell. By his late twenties, Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest generals in history. At 30, he was absolute master of France. In his early 40s, he ruled an empire. Then everything collapsed. This book emphasizes the importance of the French Revolution in understanding Napoleon's career. Published in December 2015.

Biographies

Bonaparte: 1769-1802 by Patrice Gueniffey, translated by Steven Rendall. Follows Napoleon Bonaparte from his obscure boyhood in Corsica, to his meteoric rise during the Revolutionary wars, to his proclamation as First Consul for Life in 1802.

Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. The first one-volume biography to take advantage of the publication of Napoleon's 33,000 letters. At last we see him as he was: decisive, surprisingly willing to forgive his enemies and his errant wife Josephine.

Napoleon by Felix M. Markham. A reconstruction of Napoleon's life based on newly rediscovered documents, including the letters of his wife Marie-Louise.

Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life by Alan Schom. Portrays Napoleon as an evil man and a poor general.

Napoleon: Penguin Lives Biography by Paul Johnson. In Napoleon's insatiable hunger for power, Johnson sees a realist, a brilliant opportunist, and a propagandist.

Napoleon: Man of War, Man of Peace by Timothy Wilson-Smith. A biography that separates and compares the emperor's achievements in war and his legacy in peacetime.

Napoleon: The Path to Power by Philip Dwyer. This biography focuses on the evolution of Napoleon as a leader and debunks myths about him, revealing a ruthless, manipulative, driven man whose character has been disguised by the public image he fashioned.

Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power by Philip Dwyer. In this second volume of Dwyer's biography, Napoleon, now 30, takes his position as head of the French state after the 1799 coup.

Napoleon: Conquest, Reform and Reorganization by Clive Emsley. Examines one of the most fascinating and charismatic characters of the 19th century.

Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny by Michael Broers. The first biography of Napoleon that makes full use of the unsanitized version of his correspondence. It reveals a man of intense emotion, iron self-discipline, acute intelligence and immeasurable energy.

Different Points of View

The Boyhood and Youth of Napoleon by Oscar Browning. The formative years between Napoleon's birth in 1796 and the siege of Toulon in 1793, when he established himself on the world stage.

The Eagle in Splendour: Inside the Court of Napoleon by Philip Mansel. The grandeur and extravagance of the court of Napoleon I surpassed even that of that Louis XIV. This book brings to life the court's magnificence and rigid hierarchy, with stories of mistresses, fortune-seekers, servants and courtiers.

Napoleon: A Political Life by Steven Englund. This biography portrays Napoleon as deeply committed to the French Revolution, not to any specific nationality. The author explores Napoleon's power over the popular imagination, and argues against the theory that Napoleon was poisoned.

Napoleon Against Himself: A Psychobiography by Avner Falk. Considers Napoleon's intellect, emotional life, defensive processes, his family background, infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and especially his self-destructive actions.

Napoleon: "My Ambition Was Great" by Thierry Lentz, translated by Laurel Hirsch. A history, illustrated with more than 180 images, including paintings, prints, and maps. Includes excerpts from Napoleon's letters and journals, statements by his contemporaries, and other documents.

Napoleon by R. S. Alexander. How Napoleon's reputation evolved and how it has been altered by such events as the World Wars, and by association with such figures as Hitler and Mussolini.

Napoleon for Dummies by J. David Markham. An accessible guide to the life and legacy of France's most famous leader.

Napoleon (Grandes Biografias Series) by Manuel Saurina Gimenez. A biography in Spanish.

Rise and Fall

The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte by Robert Asprey combines biography with military history in charting the course of Napoleon's career up to 1805. Followed by a sequel: The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Decline and Fall of Napoleon's Empire: How the Emperor Self-Destructed by Digby Smith. Highlights Napoleon's military and naval mistakes, diplomatic and political errors, and domestic and economic blunders.

Napoleon (Profiles in Power) by Geoffrey Ellis. Analyzes Napoleon's political career.

Napoleon: The End of Glory by Munro Price. This book explores why Napoleon lost his crown, exposing his blindness, intransigence and miscalculations; his preference for war and his declining ability to wage it; and his nearly pathological fear of a dishonorable peace.

The Napoleonic Empire by Geoffrey Ellis. Was Napoleon the heir of the French Revolution, or did he distort and abandon its principles? This book offers a synthesis of the central issues in that debate.

Napoleon - Life, Legacy, and Image: A Biography by Alan Forrest. How the son of an attorney became the most powerful man in Europe.

Napoleon and the Art of Diplomacy by William R. Nester. The first comprehensive exploration how Napoleon's diplomatic efforts shaped his military campaigns and the rise and fall of the French empire.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Leadership, Strategy, Conflict by Gregory Fremont-Barnes, illustrated by Peter Dennis. Throughout the first decade of the 19th century, Napoleon won battle after battle, but his fortunes changed in 1812.

Napoleon on Project Management by Jerry Manas. Explores the key principles behind Napoleon's successes and the lessons to be learned from his downfall, and applies them to modern-day project management and leadership.

In His Own Words

Napoleon on Napoleon: An Autobiography of the Emperor edited by Somerset de Chair. During his exile on St. Helena, Napoleon dictated memoirs, notes, letters and battle commentaries. The result is an account of Napoleon's life in his own words, from his childhood in Corsica to his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

Clisson & Eugenie by Napoleon Bonaparte, translated by Peter Hicks. Triumphant on the field of battle, Clisson turns his back on worldly success to marry Eugénie, but how long will their love survive? Written when Napoleon was 26, this romance shows how he viewed love, women and military life.

Napoleon on the Art of War by Napoleon I, edited by Jay Luvaas. Provides Napoleon's views on everything, from the preparation of his forces to the organization, planning, and execution of his battles.

Napoleon on War edited by Bruno Colson. This book, based on Napoleon's correspondence and other writings, reflects the full spectrum of his thinking on war and strategy.

The Military Maxims of Napoleon edited by William E. Cairnes and David G. Chandler.

Those Who Knew Him

Working with Napoleon: Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte by His Private Secretary by Claude François de Méneval. The author was Napoleon's secretary and close confidant from 1802 to 1815. These memoirs were first published in 1894.

Napoleon's Mameluke: The Memoirs of Roustam Raeza edited by Jonathan North. Roustam Raza was sold into slavery in Egypt, then given to Napoleon in 1799. For 15 years he was Napoleon's personal bodyguard. His reminiscences include Russia in 1812 and life in the imperial palaces.

Napoleon and His Collaborators: The Making of a Dictatorship by Isser Woloch. Napoleon relied not only on a disciplined army, but also on skillful politicians -- some of whom came to oppose Napoleon's transformation from liberator to tyrant. (Review © Amazon.com.)

Napoleon's Marshals by R. P. Dunn-Pattison. Reveals the bravery, incompetence, loyalty, and strategic brilliance of the opportunity-hungry nobles who helped Napoleon retain the imperial crown. First published in 1909.

The Emperor's Friend: Marshal Jean Lannes by Margaret Scott Chrisawn.

At Napoleon's Side in Russia by Armand De Caulaincourt. The memoirs of one of the highest officials in the French Empire.

Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne. First volume of an illustrated biography of the emperor, written by his private secretary (who was also his boyhood friend). Volume Two, Volume Three, and Volume Four are also available.

The Women in Napoleon's Life

Napoleon: His Wives and Women by Christopher Hibbert. About the women behind Napoleon, from his strong-willed mother and three sisters to his wives and mistresses. The emperor had passionate relationships, wildly worshipping certain women while disdaining others.

Napoleon and His Women Friends by Gertrude Aretz. A look at French emperor Napoleon I's sisters, wives, and mistresses.

Napoleon & Marie Louise: The Emperor's Second Wife by Alan Palmer.-Napoleon Bonaparte married Archduchess Marie Louise to obtain an heir and to cement an alliance with the Austrian dynasty. Her life provides an instructive case study in the crisis of European royalty in the turbulent 19th century. (Review © Amazon.com.)

Napoleon and the Woman Question: The Other Sex in French Education, Medicine, and Medical Law by June K. Burton. Examines the lives of women under the Napoleonic regime, and includes an analysis of Napoleon's personal attitudes toward women.

Women Against Napoleon: Historical and Fictional Responses to His Rise and Legacy edited by Waltraud Maeierhofer, Gertrud Roesch, and Caroline Bland. Includes contemporary letters, diaries, and writings, as well as 20th century historical fiction.

Books About Empress Josephine
Books About Josephine's Daughter Hortense
Books About Josephine's Son Eugene

Fiction

Desiree by Annemarie Selinko. Novel about the French merchant's daughter who was engaged for a time to Napoleon but instead eventually became the queen of Sweden.

The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court by Michelle Moran. Fictional account of the rivalry between Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife, Marie-Louise, and his ambitious sister Pauline.

The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys, translated by Patricia Clancy. Novel that imagines what might have happened if Napoleon had not died on St. Helena.

The Battle by Patrick Rambaud. A novelization of the battle of Essling, Napoleon's first major defeat.

The Retreat by Patrick Rambaud. Novel about Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign.

Napoleon's Exile by Patrick Rambaud. Last book in Rambaud's trilogy of novels about Napoleon I.

The Hundred Days by Joseph Roth, translated by Richard Panchyk. Set during the period between Napoleon's escape from Elba and his defeat at Waterloo, this novel describes the emperor's transformation from godlike ruler to ordinary, humble man.

Black Rock by Louise Hoole. Fiction. Set in 1821 on the island of St Helena during the week between Napoleon's death and burial, this historical who-done-it draws upon the letters and memoirs of those who made up the ex-emperor's last court.

For the King by Catherine Delors. On Christmas Eve 1800, a bomb explodes along Napoleon Bonaparte's route. Chief Inspector Roch Miquel must arrest the assassins before they attack again.

The Emperor's Body by Peter Books. Twenty years after his death, Napoleon becomes a token in a political game to appease the enemies of the monarchy.

Novels About Empress Josephine
Novel About Napoleon's Stepdaughter Hortense

Other Bonapartes

Books About Jerome Bonaparte
Books About Joseph Bonaparte
Books About Napoleon II
Books About Napoleon III

Napoleon's Exiles and Death

Napoleon on Elba

Napoleon on Elba: The Diary of an Eyewitness to Exile by Sir Neil Campbell. In April 1814 Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba. Part guardian, part spy, Neill Campbell monitored the former emperor and conversed with him almost daily. His diary records events as Napoleon builds an empire in miniature on Elba.

Escape From Elba: The Fall and Flight of Napoleon 1814-1815 by Norman MacKenzie. Chronicles the last hours of Napoleon's empire, his humiliating exile, his midnight escape and his whirlwind march over snowbound mountains to Grenoble, where he became a reigning prince again.

Escape From Elba

Napoleon and the Hundred Days by Stephen Coote. In 1815, the news arrived that Napoleon had escaped captivity and was returning to France. It would be just 100 days before he met his enemies in a final, epic battle.

One Hundred Days: Napoleon's Road to Waterloo by Alan Schom. Account of Napoleon's final campaign. Landing unopposed near Cannes, Napoleon and his tiny army began their march through a hostile countryside. Thousands of men joined his ranks, causing Louis XVIII to flee from Paris. All roads now led to Waterloo.

1815: The Return of Napoleon by Paul Britten Austin. Presents the story of Napoleon's escape from Elba and his march on Paris in the words of eyewitnesses and participants.

Napoleon, Wellington, and Waterloo

Waterloo Commanders: Napoleon, Wellington and Blucher by Andrew Uffindell. This three-part biography examines the leaders' parallel lives and extraordinary careers.

Wellington and Napoleon: Clash of Arms by Robin Neillands. Tells the story of the convergence and final clash of two of the most brilliant commanders ever to meet on the field of battle.

Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Campaign by Christopher Hibbert. Recreates the events and drama surrounding the famous battle.

The Waterloo Companion: The Complete Guide to History's Most Famous Land Battle by Mark Adkin. Describes both the battle and the campaign that preceded it in detail, drawing upon the firsthand accounts of participants on all sides. Includes many full color maps, diagrams and photographs, and 16 pages of original paintings.

More Books About Waterloo

Napoleon on St Helena

Terrible Exile: The Last Days of Napoleon on St Helena by Brian Unwin. The most powerful and famous man of his age, Napoleon spent the last years of his life in captivity. How did he react to exile on St Helena, and how did the other inhabitants of the island respond to his presence?

Napoleon Bonaparte: England's Prisoner: The Emperor in Exile 1816-21 by Frank Giles. In exile, Napoleon came under the supervision of Sir Hudson Lowe. What really happened? Was the fallen emperor badly treated - perhaps even poisoned? Lowe has been reviled by some historians, but Frank Giles portrays him in a more favorable light.

The Black Room at Longwood: Napoleon's Exile on St. Helena by Jean Paul Kauffmann, translated by Patricia Marie Clancy. The author visits modern St. Helena and describes what he finds. We learn a great deal about Napoleon as Kauffmann passes through the places associated with him and attempts to get inside the head of the deposed emperor. (Review © Amazon.com.)

Napoleon in Captivity by Aleksandr Antonovich Balmain, translated by Julian Park. The author was Russia's commissioner to St Helena, sent to observe former emperor Napoleon's captivity.

A St Helena Who's Who by Arnold Chaplin. A complete guide to the people on St Helena during Napoleon's captivity.

Napoleon & St Helena: On the Island of Exile by Johannes Willms. Travel guide that looks at St Helena as Napoleon's final place of exile.

St Helena Acquaintances

To Befriend an Emperor: Betsy Balcombe's Memoirs of Napoleon on St Helena by Betsy Balcombe. Written by a teenager who became friends with the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte. Illustrated.

Betsy and the Emperor by Anne Whitehead. Brings to life Napoleon's last years on Saint Helena, revealing the role of the Balcombe family and pretty teenager Betsy Balcombe.

A Diary of St. Helena (1816, 1817) by Clementina E. Malcolm. The journal of Lady Malcolm, wife of Sir Pulteney Malcolm, naval commander at St Helena, who recorded her husband's conversations with Napoleon.

Death of Napoleon

The Strange Death of Napoleon Bonaparte by Jerry Labriola. Suspense novel about an American historian who investigates Napoleon's death.

The Murder of Napoleon by David Hapgood and Ben Weider. Suggests that Napoleon was poisoned.

The Apocalypse of Napoleon Bonaparte - His Last Years From Waterloo to St Helena by Robert Richardson. A medical biography drawn from day-to-day accounts of Napoleon's doctors. The author concludes that the emperor suffered from a gastric ulcer and dehydration that led to multiple organ failure.

Napoleon as a Military Leader

Campaigns of Napoleon: The Mind and Method of History's Greatest Soldier by David G. Chandler. Examines in detail each campaign mounted and personally conducted by Napoleon, analyzing his strategies and the sources of his military ideas.

Napoleon's Wars: An International History, 1803-1815 by Charles Esdaile. Argues that Napoleon was motivated by his insatiable desire for fame, and portrays his wars as the consequence of rulers willing to take immense risks that resulted in the extinction of entire countries.

Stopping Napoleon: War and Intrigue in the Mediterranean by Tom Pocock. For a decade, the Mediterranean became the scene of danger and battles dictated by British determination to stop Napoleon. Bizarre rulers had to be flattered or fought, including the Bourbons in Palmero and Napoleon's dashing brother-in-law, the King of Naples.

The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise of the Emperor 1805-1807 by Todd Fisher. This is a study of motives, methods and repurcussions of the Napoleonic wars.

Napoleon's Conquest of Europe: The War of the Third Coalition by Frederick C. Schneid. In 1805, Napoleon marched from the English Channel to Central Europe, crushing the armies of Austria and Russia, in less than 100 days. This victory was the product of years of diplomatic preparation and alliances.

The Wars Against Napoleon: Debunking the Myth of the Napoleonic Wars by General Michel Franceschi and Ben Weider. The authors argue that Napoleon I was not a megalomaniac conqueror, but fundamentally pacifist.

Napoleon's Imperial Headquarters: The Headquarters on Campaign by Ronald Pawly. Offers an intimate glimpse of the emperor's entourage in the field.

The Wars of Napoleon Atlas edited by Thomas E. Griess.

Napoleon and Austria

Marengo and Hohenlinden: Napoleon's Rise to Power by James R. Arnold. At Marengo, Napoleon defeated the Austrians. General Jean Moreau beat the combined Austrian and Bavarian armies at Hohenlinden. These campaigns secured Napoleon's dictatorship.

Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs by John H. Gill. Examines the political background of the Franco-Austrian War of 1809, in which Napoleon faced Archduke Charles, best of the Habsburg commanders. (Volume 1)

Thunder on the Danube, Volume II: The Fall of Vienna and the Battle of Aspern by John Gill. Traces Napoleon's progress as he sought to complete his victory over the Habsburgs.

1809 - Thunder on the Danube: Napoleon's Defeat of the Habsburgs, Vol. III: The Final Clashes of Wagram and Znaim by John H. Gill. A thorough account, from the diplomacy of emperors to the horros suffered by common soldiers in battle. Includes more than 40 specially prepared maps.

The Emperor's Last Victory: Napoleon and the Battle of Wagram by Gunther E. Rothenberg. Tells the story of this immense engagement from both sides, making use of both French sources and the extensive Austrian archives.

Napoleon and Italy

Napoleon in Italy: The Sieges of Mantua, 1796-1799 by Phillip R. Cuccia. The sieges of Mantua symbolized Napoleon's voracious determination to win and Austria's desperation to retain its possessions.

Napoleon's Italian Campaigns: 1805-1815 by Frederick C. Schneid.

Napoleon and Egypt

Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East by Juan Cole. Tells the story of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, the first modern attempt to invade the Arab world.

Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern. Reconstructs a mission of conquest inspired by glory, executed in haste, and bound for disaster.

Battle of Austerlitz

Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Eagles of Europe by Ian Castle. Illustrated account of Napoleon's greatest victory and the campaign that preceded it. Reconstructs the action in every sector of the Austerlitz battlefield, using French, Austrian and Russian records.

1805: Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Destruction of the Third Coalition by Robert Goetz. A study of Napoleon's greatest victory. Dispels many of the myths surrounding the famous "battle of the three emperors."

Napoleon and Russia

Napoleon's Invasion of Russia by Theodore Ayrault Dodge. This book traces Napoleon's state of mind and the factors behind his decisions, using personal letters and genuine reports.

The Burning of Moscow: Napoleon's Trial by Fire 1812 by Alexander Mikaberidze. Napoleon's month-long stay in Moscow was a pivotal moment in the war of 1812 -- the moment when the initiative swung towards the Tsar's armies and spelled doom for the invading Grand Army.

The Illustrious Dead: The Terrifying Story of How Typhus Killed Napoleon's Greatest Army by Stephan Talty. No army could stand against Napoleon Bonaparte's forces, but a microscopic foe brought the emperor to his knees.

1812: The March on Moscow by Paul Britten Austin. Followed by two sequels, Napoleon in Moscow and The Great Retreat.

Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March by Adam Zamoyski. Shows how the relationship between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander came to distort their alliance and bring about a war that neither man wanted.

Napoleon's Invasion of Russia by Hereford B. George. Separates fact from fiction to provide insight into Napoleon's motives and reasons for his eventual failure.

Napoleon's Army in Russia: The Illustrated Memoirs of Albrecht Adam, 1812 by Jonathan North. A complete set of Albrecht Adam's color plates of 1812 campaign.

Defeat: Napoleon's Russian Campaign by Philippe-Paul de Ségur, translated by J. David Townsend. The author was aide-de-camp to Napoleon, privy to the councils of the emperor's inner circle.

Germany

Napoleon and the Struggle for Germany by Michael V. Leggiere. Two-volume set. This is the first comprehensive history of the Franco-Prussian War of 1813.

The Fall of Napoleon

The Fall of Napoleon, Volume 1: The Allied Invasion of France, 1813-1814 by Michael V. Leggiere. The first complete English-language study of the invasion of France along a front that extended from Holland to Switzerland.

Napoleon 1814: The Defence of France by Andrew Uffindell. In 1814, Napoleon was faced with an Allied invasion. The intense, fast-moving campaign that followed has been widely hailed as one of his greatest feats as a commander. This study reassesses Napoleon's military leadership and the campaign.

Napoleon Against Great Odds: The Emperor and the Defenders of France, 1814 by Ralph Ashby. Analysis of what really occured during the 1814 Campaign.

The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign by George Nafziger. Of all his campaigns, Napoleon's 1814 campaign was one of his most brilliant. This book includes specially commissioned maps.

The Eagle's Last Triumph: Napoleon's Victory at Ligny, June 1815 by Andrew Uffindell. Provides a detailed account of the battle, including eye-witness testimony.

More Books About the Battles of Napoleon

Miscellaneous Napoleon Books

Napoleon's Chicken Marengo: Creating the Myth of the Emperor's Favourite Dish by Andrew Uffindell. How Napoleon, bickering generals, celebrity chefs, adventurers, artists, and eccentrics created a tangle of myths about a chicken dish.

Napoleon, CEO: 6 Principles to Guide & Inspire Modern Leaders by Alan Axelrod. Lessons for aspiring leaders based on the career of Emperor Napoleon I.

More Books About French Royal History

Children's Books

Napoleon I: Emperor and Conqueror by Kimberley Heuston. Biography from the "Wicked History" series for readers age 9 to 12.

Napoleon Bonaparte by Elaine Landau. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Napoleon: The Story of the Little Corporal by Robert Burleigh. Biographical picture book for children ages 4 to 8.

Betsy and the Emperor by Staton Rabin. Novel for young adult readers about a rebellious girl whose family is reluctantly housing a notorious prisoner: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon & Josephine: The Sword and the Hummingbird by Gerald and Loretta Hausman. Fiction for young adult readers.

Napoleon and Josephine Paper Dolls by Tom Tierney.

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Movies and Documentaries

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

Napoleon Bonaparte: The Glory of France. From his Corsican origins to his ignominious defeat, trace the life and career of one of the most influential and controversial figures in history. From A&E's "Biography" series.

Napoleon and Wellington. Follow the story of the great military leaders who clashed at Waterloo. Discover the one fateful decision that told the outcome of the see-saw fight.

Napoleon: The Myth, the Battles, the Legend. Documentary. Step inside Napoleon's world through dramatic recreations of key events and large-scale reconstructions of his campaigns. An entertaining portrait of an extraordinary life.

Napoleon. Epic 1927 silent film about the emperor. A classic. Out of print, but sometimes available from Amazon.

The Conquerors: Napoleon's Greatest Victory. A look at Napoleon's stunning victory at Austerlitz.

Napoleon. A 2003 television miniseries featuring Isabella Rossellini, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich and Christian Clavier.