Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped

“Napoleon’s Privates” is the type of history book that I lap up. While I’m sure it’s useful to know of important wars and treaties, I much prefer to know about the famous eighteenth century French cross-dresser Chevalier D’Eon, or that Nostradamus wrote a book on making conserves or that smut was (as claimed by the author) invented in 1819. And, it’s always pleasing to read more on Hitler’s testicle(s).

“Napoleon’s Privates” dips into history’s odd and scandalous moments, and means that we don’t have to trawl through otherwise dry biographies or history books to find out when, for example, the first “blue” movie was made or what “the semen of Hercules” was (squeezed mustard-rocket leaf apparently). For show more this, I am eternally thankful to Mr Perrottet. show less

This is an unusual book with historical anecdotes about sex in history. Although many of the anecdotes are interesting, the book in total feels like reading an encyclopedia.

There really is a book about everything. Tony Perrottet's Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped (HarperEntertainment) examines the never-ending trend of popes (or politicians, or businessmen, or kings and queens) behaving badly, offering a catalog of prurience coupled with puns (mostly fairly bad, but often amusing anyway). There is, at least, a bit of historical mythbusting, and each section does offer a decent list of sources for further reading, should you be so inclined.

The bookish angle, of course, is the old story that a certain bit of Napoleon, lopped off at autopsy, was once in the possession of the great Philadelphia bookman A. S. W. Rosenbach (and later in the collection of the insatiable collector of the show more macabre John Lattimer, to whom Perrottet dedicates his book).

Useful (aside from the obvious conversation-piece factor) for its examinations of grist from the historical rumor mill.

http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2009/02/book-review-napoleons-privates.html show less

Although published several years ago, this spicy little book is well worth reading today. The short chapters certainly allow for quick study and the salacious topics spike some piquant entertainment. But if swallowed in one sitting, the reader might become over-stimulated if not bored.

“Napoleon’s Privates” does not refer to the Little Corporal’s soldiers nor does it deal extensively with the French Emperor’s penal captivity. Rather, the material unveils Bonaparte’s penile embarrassments, amorous peccadilloes, and sexual shortcomings in more than a half-dozen interspersed segments.

The revisiting technique binds the volume together. The chapters are glib and pithy, and occasionally include sidebars that expand the present show more topic with related information. The pieces span from 330 BC to post-1960 in jumbled order and indulge in such subjects as pornography, sex implements, real estate, culinary pursuits, and restaurants.

The author strokes our curiosity through glimpses of artists, literary figures, historical characters, politicians, and industrial giants (otherwise termed “Robber Barons”). These disclosures mostly are treated through spreadsheet formats that reveal the person’s personality, peccadilloes, or prurient parts. Of particular American interest might be the revelations about U.S. Presidents: a philandering George Washington; the secret family of Thomas Jefferson; the questionable manhood of James Buchanan; the outing of Abraham Lincoln; or the purported dalliances of JFK.

Perrottet’s style is breezy, sprinkled with touches of humor. For instance, in his chapter on latex condoms, he provides an insertion about Winston Churchill, who during World War II, had a special batch of condoms constructed in double the usual size and shipped to Joseph Stalin with the labeling: “Made in Britain—Medium.”

Perrottet has published several historical works and he has gained exposure through media, such as NPR, History Channel, and Smithsonian Magazine. His credentials demonstrate that he has more credibility than a mere buff in this historical exposé. He adds authority by acknowledging the input of several institutional experts heading classical, historical, and arcane collections. His use of chapter-ending footnotes for further reading arouses an air of substantial command for those readers who have time and interest in investigating that segment’s material further. Plus, Perrottet includes an index for those super-curious readers—that almost makes this a textbook, doesn’t it? show less

This was fun and funny. Not very accurate but quite entertaining.

A very enjoyable read whether straight through or as a pickup during odd times. The short sections made the latter easy. It's quite a collection of sexual trivia over 2500 years & it piqued my curiosity about a lot of other history. It provided a lot of continuity to other historical books I've read & was very well documented. It is very interesting how our sexual mores have changed & it gave great insight, without being the least offensive. For instance, there were several sections on homosexuality, including the origin of the term & how it was treated over the years. From the days of the ancient Greeks, when it was expected that an older man would 'tutor' young men (only from a superior position & it was scandalous to have relations show more with another older man) to misunderstandings about bed sharing practices, a pretty clear picture emerges that shows just how narrow minded we were before the current sexual revolution.This probably isn't a book for the serious historian, but for someone interested in history & sex (aren't we all?) it was a fun read & I highly recommend it. show less

This book contains over sixty chapters devoted to historical sort of “urban legend” tales involving scandals, sex, body parts or other juicy tidbits that would get most people’s attention if you heard it being discussed. Much of it is about famous people, but we also get topics devoted to ideas surrounding sex, such as how it was believed that masturbation caused a long list of physical ailments.

Some of the stories involve Napoleon, Cleopatra, Casanova, popes, Hitler, JFK and other earlier presidents, the practice of castrating young boys in the hopes they’d be famous singers, the birth of the stag movie, syphilis, etc, etc.

In the introduction the author claims to not want to trivialize history, but to bring it to full life. We show more get the general rumor as well as some actual facts that either debunk or support the tale with sources and further reading suggestions on the subject provided for each chapter, all told in a light-hearted, humorous manner. Most chapters are 2-4 pages in length, so you don’t get buried in any one subject. Too bad school history books aren’t told in this manner.

I don’t think the book is intended to be read cover-to-cover in one sitting, but I found myself getting through over half the book before I started jumping around to look at specific topics I hadn’t reached yet. I just know that some of what I’ve read will be brought up in future conversations. show less