- Unknown Binding
- Publisher: Bloomsbury (2001)
- ASIN: B004K2SMUO
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Terry Coleman re-examines the man and the myth that is Nelson, in the process delving minutely into details of Nelson's actions (both public and private) and finding many that were less than creditable. But then, could anyone -- famous or not -- survive such a merciless examination of their every act?
In Coleman's eyes, Nelson was a vainglorious, duplicitous and dishonest man whose naval achievements were more a result of good luck, his good connections, and good officers than Nelson's own genius. In the actions of St Vincent, the Nile and Copenhagen especially, Coleman at best damns with faint praise, regarding these victories as overexaggerated and Nelson's role in them as less than the man himself led everyone to believe.
Coleman is all too ready to twist the knife whenever occasion arises: yes, Nelson's actions at the siege of Naples were hasty and illegal, but the author seems unable to let it go, harping on and on about the subject at length. He is also firmly on the side of Fanny Nelson and against the notorious Emma -- which, considering the short shrift Nelson's first wife has had in the past, is probably only fair. The author's contempt for the Nelson-Hamilton triangle is evident. To take one other example, he is also very quick to criticise Nelson for not visiting his dying father, even though his estranged wife Fanny was living with him and the old man had very been severe in his remarks about Nelson & Emma -- calling her a force of evil no less -- so it was hardly surprising that a hurt and offended Nelson nelgected him in favour of the woman he obviously loved with great passion (too much passion according to Coleman).
Overall, this book is a rewarding biography that brings a fresh perspective to bear, though if you are new to the subject it might be better to read a more "old-fashioned" account first before tackling this, which views the foibles and failings of a hero very much through the filter of modern sensibilities.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book on the recommendation of a lecturer, approaching it with dubious enthusiasm. My views were entirely changed however as I began to read, gripped from the very start by the mastery of Coleman in his simple yet comprehensive narrative. I found myself, like many others, totally ignorant of the extent to which myth dominates our ideas of this national hero. The detailed research is staggering, and i was surprised to find myself increasingly convinced of the validity of his argument. The real Nelson, however much of a hero he may be, is perhaps even more interesting in light of this book, particularly in considering his death as near suicide. A must for anyone who wishes to know the man as well as the legend.
Format:Paperback
There are many books on Nelson and I had no real reason for deciding to read this one in particular.
It is a concise and scholarly work, perhaps a little terse in its style, but it does seem to cover everything you would want to know about Nelson. It pulls no punches about his vanity, going so far as to suggest it was ultimately what killed him. He was most certainly a unique character and extraordinarily brave to the point of recklessness but that was what earned him his victories and his renown.
The book is very critical of his brother, William, who appears to have been a self-serving, coat-tail grabbing so-and-so and who was behind the official biography which spawned many of the false legends about Nelson and which this book does a good job of debunking.
I enjoyed reading about his faithful wife Fanny, the Hamiltons and his Father, who all stood by him and longed for his company despite his (at times) appalling behaviour towards them. There must have been something irresistible in his character and there is a lovely description of a meeting between Wellington and Nelson that sums things up nicely.
Well worth reading.
It is a concise and scholarly work, perhaps a little terse in its style, but it does seem to cover everything you would want to know about Nelson. It pulls no punches about his vanity, going so far as to suggest it was ultimately what killed him. He was most certainly a unique character and extraordinarily brave to the point of recklessness but that was what earned him his victories and his renown.
The book is very critical of his brother, William, who appears to have been a self-serving, coat-tail grabbing so-and-so and who was behind the official biography which spawned many of the false legends about Nelson and which this book does a good job of debunking.
I enjoyed reading about his faithful wife Fanny, the Hamiltons and his Father, who all stood by him and longed for his company despite his (at times) appalling behaviour towards them. There must have been something irresistible in his character and there is a lovely description of a meeting between Wellington and Nelson that sums things up nicely.
Well worth reading.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Steer well clear
Terry Coleman's 'Nelson' is a remarkable achievement in sour, low-minded biography. I bought it in the expectation of a bracing modern contrast to some of the hagiographies of the... Read more
Published on 6 May 2003 by JAW
fact or fiction? nelsons' still a legend.
Being an avid reader of all things Nelson, I looked forward with much relish the new offering from top journalist Terry Coleman. Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2001
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