Adam Zamoyski Books

The Sunday Times bestselling account of Napoleon's invasion of Russia and eventual retreat from Moscow, events that had a profound effect on the subsequent course of Russian and European history.

By the beginning of 1941 there was a fully fledged Polish Air Force operating alongside the RAF. With 14 Squadrons it was larger than any other of the Air Force from Nazi-occupied Europe that had joined the Allies. Over 17,000 men and women passed through the ranks of the Polish Air Force while it was stationed in the UK. They shot down 745 enemy aircraft, with a further 175 unconfirmed. They dropped thousands of bombs and laid hundreds of mines, flying 102,486 sorties notching up a total of 290,895 operation flying hours. They achieved this at a cost of 1,973 killed and 1,388 wounded. They won 342 British gallantry awards.

Based on primary sources in many European languages, and illustrated with portraits done only from life, this biography examines how Napoleone Buonaparte, the boy from Corsica, became `Napoleon', how he achieved what he did, and how it came about that he undid it

'Adam Zamoyski's dashing account of the romantic movement, HOLY MADNESS, is bold narrative history at its most imaginative' Observer

The first writer in English to go back to the original European sources, Adam Zamoyski's portrait of Napoleon is historical biography at its finest. Napoleon inspires passionately held and often conflicting visions. Was he a god-like genius, Romantic avatar, megalomaniac monster, compulsive warmonger or just a nasty little dictator? Whilst he displayed elements of these traits at certain times, Napoleon was none of these things. He was a man, and as Adam Zamoyski presents him in this landmark biography, a rather ordinary one at that. He exhibited some extraordinary qualities during some phases of his life but it is hard to credit genius to a general who presided over the worst (and self-inflicted) disaster in military history and who single-handedly destroyed the great enterprise he and others had toiled so hard to construct

A new edition of Adam Zamoyski's definitive biography of Chopin, first published in 1979 and unavailable in English for many years.

Set against the backdrop of post-Napoleonic Europe, the narrative explores the Congress of Vienna, where major powers convened to forge a lasting peace. This eight-month event blended serious negotiations with lavish social gatherings, reflecting the era's aristocratic culture. While the Congress aimed for stability, it revealed the underlying tensions and the high cost of peace, as many critical decisions were ultimately influenced by conflict and hardship. The story captures the intricate balance of diplomacy and the realities of war during a pivotal historical moment.

Following on from his epic `1812: Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow', bestselling author Adam Zamoyski has written the dramatic story of the Congress of Vienna.

A completely new edition of the definitive biography of Chopin, unavailable for many years, by one of the finest of contemporary European historians. Two centuries have passed since Chopin's birth, yet his legacy is all around us today. The quiet revolution he wrought influenced the development of Western music profoundly, and he is still probably the most widely studied and revered composer. For many, he is the object of a cult. Yet most people know little of his life, of the man, his thoughts and his feelings; his public image is a sugary blur of sentimentality and melodrama. Adam Zamoyski cuts through the myths and legends to tell the story of Chopin's life, and to reveal all that can be discovered about him as a person. He pays particular attention to recent revelations about the composer's health, and places him within the intellectual and spiritual environment of his day.

This title is now out of print. Please see Adam Zamoyski's new book A HISTORY , available September 1, 2012.