A Pride of Lions: A Portrait of Napoleon's Mother

First edition, first printing. 318pp, numerous black and white plate illustrations. In red cloth boards with gilt titles on spine. 8vo. Cloth a little faded, rubbed and rounded at spine ends. Upper text block edge dust darkened. Previous owner's name , dated 1961, on front free endpaper else internally neat, clean, bright and tight. In its original, illustrated, dust jacket, price clipped, minor chipping around spine, a little browned in places and sunned over spine. A woman of noted outstanding beauty, energy and courage, Napoleon's mother never ceased to the centre of the Bonaparte family; despite all the writings and publications about Napoleon and his family, this is one of the few to concentrate on the remarkable women who did so much to shape his character and aspirations.