The first steps on the road to greatness This account of the Italian campaigns by the French in the late eighteenth century was written, interestingly, from the perspective of one who was viewing another French campaign in Italy at the time of writing-that of the Emperor Napoleon III during his involvement in the campaigns for the unification of Italy. Of course there were several interesting parallels between the two events-not least that a 'Napoleon' was in command of forces in the field. This book concerns General Bonaparte as a meteorically rising star. Young, dynamic, daring and brilliant as a military man in every way, this was his first opportunity to direct events where all was under his own influence. History well records the outcome. Hooper analyses the campaign from invasion through to Marengo and the breaking of Austrian power in the region at that time. He concludes with an interesting and relevant examination of the situation in 1859. All history books perforce view the past from their own moment in time, but this one is made all the more interesting because it was written in a time when the borders of Europe were still in flux, when imperial families still held sway, directed their own armies in the field and when global conflicts which would shape the modern political map were far in the future. Available in soft cover and hard cover with dust jacket for collectors.