Two new books about Napoleon's Captivity are shortly to be published.
First to appear will be Albert Benhamou's latest book, InsideLongwood: Barry O'Meara's Clandestine Letters which publishes the letters that Napoleon's doctor, Barry O'Meara, sent from St Helena to his friend at the Admiralty. These were circulated among the Government of the day, and were an added source of tension between O'Meara and Governor Sir Hudson Lowe who knew of the correspondence but was unable to stop it.
This will be the first time these letters have been published. I have had a pre-publication preview and believe that it will provide an important and unique perspective on Napoleon's captivity on St Helena in the years 1815-1818. It may be pre-ordered at Amazon.
Also due for publication in June is a reprint of Betsy Balcombe's famous Recollections of Napoleon on St Helena.
This is being reprinted by Fonthill Media, which has a number of other Napoleonic titles on its list.
I had been very interested in Betsy Balcombe's Recollections of Napoleon on St Helena, originally because the Balcombe family settled in Australia in 1824. Betsy must have only been in Australia for a few years, but the rest of them built homes and families here.
ReplyDeleteHer book was originally called "To Befriend an Emperor: Betsy Balcombe's Memoirs of Napoleon on St Helena". Now it is called "Napoleon and Betsy: Recollections of Napoleon at St Helena". Same book?
Yes this is the same. There have now been a number of editions, including a fairly recent one edited by David Markham. This new one will have a number of pictures of St Helena.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that Betsy went to Australia twice, once with her family and once to accompany her mother, but she never settled there. She returned with her daughter and died in London. Her elder sister I seem to remember died on the voyage out to Australia.
John