Waterloo: The Truth At Last: Why Napoleon Lost the Great Battle Hardcover – February 7, 2018

I had high hopes for this new and detailed account of Waterloo, but the book does not have a single map, diagram, battle plan or order of battle. Not one. Instead, we are treated to an interminable recitation of the names, ranks and units of every officer casualty as well as enumerable charts of those combatants killed, wounded or missing. But not one map, diagram, or battle plan.I can recommend this only to those who already have an intimate knowledge of this subject and are seeking more detailed information. This could have been a great tome. Very unfortunate.

Truly outstanding! Dawson's incredible hardcore primary research combined with first hand participant accounts finally gives the true story of this great battle.Many cherished myths are busted wide open with the real facts from the French archives. If you are seriously interested in this battle this is now the standard primary account, at least mostly from the French point of view. Very good Prussian accounts as well. I finally feel I know what exactly what happened!! The only thing that could have made it better would have been some maps showing the troop movements and positions but that is a teensy weensy critique of great work. After this now I'll have to buy Mr. Dawson's other books!

Great in depth study which indeed shines new insight on the French side of the battle. The presentation at times reads like a doctorial thesis. It’s a hard grind at times.

Dreadful book. Entire chapters are spent deliberating whether it was X or whether it was Y - or maybe it was Z - who broke down a particular gate at Hougoumont, etc. Interminable, indigestible (and very suspect) casualty statistics further sap the will to live. Disregard the author's pompous pronouncements on historical method; this is antiquarian fact-grubbing, not history. Save your money. I wish I had.

This was a great read with tremendous new information about the Battle of Waterloo. Well done!The information, statistics and analysis were tremendous. The only draw back is the absence of maps and diagrams to illustrate the events described in the various chapters. I hope a second edition will include some illustrative diagrams and maps to help the reader.

The author has done a massive amount of original research from the French sources which is very welcome but overall it tends to get a bit lost and is confusing. The numerous tables of casualties just don't ring true even if they are from original sources though that is not the fault of the author. These tables show generally very few French killed or wounded but thousands taken prisoner. I can't see how the Allied army could have coped on the day with guarding so many prisoners as well as fighting a battle.The tables on p 462 & 463 for instance show that 16 battalions of the Old Guard combined lose a total on the day of just 41 killed and 233 wounded for the whole battle. Such figures must be viewed with some suspicion. Compare this to the casualties of a single British battalion - 3rd 1st Guards who lost 74 killed and 245 wounded - and they fought the Imperial Guard.I was left with the impression that the French army did not put up much of a fight but just surrendered in their thousands. I am certain this was not the case !

Contains new material found by the author that had lain hidden since the battle so a very good addition to my collection of books on the Battle of Waterloo

i could not put this book down i would recommend it