The Illustrious Dead: Napoleon, Typhus, and the Dream of World Conquest

Excellent. The author writes rotating chapters on the battles and sicknesses that held my attention throughout the listen. Very interesting information on Typhus and the debilitating role it played in Napoleon's quest. If you enjoy history you will enjoy this listen.

I loved this book so much I immediately went to Netflix and ordered the 2 available documentaries on Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia. Also tried to convince my wife that our family should trace Napoleon's route for a family vacation (still working on her). This is a part of history that I did not know well.....and I had no idea that typhus played such a major role in Napoleon's defeat. Books that combine disease and history are a particular love of mine, and this is one of the best examples. Talty is a wonderful writer, masterfully evoking the horrid details of the retreat from Moscow and the larger role that disease has had in shaping human history. Highly recommended.

Every now and then I gamble on a book I don't think I'll love, and end up being pleasantly surprised. I can't tell you what drew me to this title, but I never would have expected to get so engrossed in a book about Napoleon, Russia, European war, doctor practices, and disease. The narrator is spot-on and this book is so well-written, you will be amazed.

Overall, I think this book tells more about the history of Napoleon's invasion of Russia than about the science of typhus itself, but it's a very interesting book. I can't help comparing it to "The Great Influenza" by John Barry, which masterly describes the historical context and the science of the 1918 flu pandemic. "The Illustrious Dead" is more a book about History than about science (or the history of medicine and the treatment of typhus), but I enjoyed the book and its narrator.

A fascinating journey of science and history. I dont know how this author developed his expertise in both Napoleonic history and infectious disease, but the end result is a truly gripping book.

The narrator must also be given a mention for a fantastic performance. He reads as though he is really engaged by this story, delivering a level of emotion deserved by this book.

If you like the five minute preview then you wont be disappointed.

So this was an interesting listen. I learned a lot about warfare and the military in 1812, and about Napolean and his Russian campaign in general. Typhus and how it devastated armies was kind of the headliner here, but it was also amazing to hear about logistics, planning, and how a Russian Winter could affect everything. Oh yes--let's not forget a megalomanic general in the mix, too! I learned more about amputations from that era than I ever want to learn again and wonder if people 200 years from now will look at our medical practices of today and think we were barbaric! I would recommend this book to anyone with a general interest in history.

A fascinating look at Napoleon's invasion of Russia; adds new depth and understanding. It also adds to the historical context of how disease affected history (there are many examples out there--this was especially well done). Great insight into medical practice of the period. As a historian I now want to purchase the hard copy to place in my library to review the details.

It has been a long time since I studied the Napoleonic Wars, yet this book was enlightening and easy to follow. I am more interested in the history than the science so was happy to find a good balance between the two. At nine hours, believe it or not, this book seemed too short! I found myself wanting to know even more details about the battles and hardships of Napoleon's army. I guess that's another book though.

As always, I find it a little difficult to imagine the maps of these places the troop movements. I don't know if the paper edition contains maps but these would be useful in following Napoleon's march.

To be honest this book contains more of a historical review of the plague that took part in Napoleons downfall. But the narrator is excellent, and the book is one that i found hard to put down. Great historical review of the march to Moscow.