Book description
In the history of warfare, an elite group of men have attained almost
legendary status through their courage, ambition and unrivalled
military genius. But many of these same men possessed deep personal
character flaws. In Heroes & Villains, acclaimed historian
Frank McLynn focuses on six of the most powerful and magnetic leaders
of all time: Spartacus, Attila the Hun, Richard the Lionheart,
Cortés, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Napoleon. How did these mortal men rise
to positions of seemingly invincible power? What were the motives, the
personal strengths and often weaknesses that drove them to achieve
what no one else dared?
In six powerful portraits, McLynn brilliantly evokes the critical
moments when each of these warriors proved themselves in battle,
changing their own lives, the destiny of their people and, in some
cases, the history of the world. We discover what drove Spartacus to
take on the might of Rome against seemingly impossible odds, and how
the young Napoleon rose to power in dramatic fashion at the Siege of
Toulon.
Heroes & Villains is more than a collection of individual
biographies. By examining the complex psychologies of these
extraordinary men, McLynn builds up a convincing profile of the
ultimate warrior. Accompanying a major BBC television series, this
brilliant book takes us into the minds of the greatest warriors in history.
Frank McLynn is a highly respected historian, who specializes in
biographies and military history. He has over 20 books to his name,
including critically acclaimed biographies of Napoleon and Richard the
Lionheart. Other books include
1066
,
Stanley
and
1759
. Frank is a graduate of Wadham College Oxford and London University,
where he obtained his doctorate.
