Napoleon and Doctor Verling on St Helena
Author | : J. David Markham |
Publisher | : Casemate Publishers |
Total Pages | : 313 |
Release | : 2006-03-19 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781781596494 |
ISBN-13 | : 1781596492 |
Rating | : 4/5 (94 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Many books have been written about St Helena and its most famous resident, the exiled Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The episode has been so intensively researched that it is rare for a fresh, unpublished account to come to light. Yet Dr James Verling's St Helena journal is just such a source. Verling was based on St Helena during Napoleon's imprisonment and he was even appointed as Napoleon's official physician. Throughout his stay, this young doctor kept a vivid diary of his experiences. Through Verling's eyes we get a fresh view of daily life on the island and of the suspicion-filled society that grew up around Napoleon during his last years.