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Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped | 
 enlarge | Author: Tony Perrottet
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.37
You Save: $7.58 (51%)
New (42) Used (17) from $6.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 50005
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 0061257281
Dewey Decimal Number: 306
EAN: 9780061257285
ASIN: 0061257281
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
When Tony Perrottet heard that Napoleon's "baguette" had been stolen by his disgruntled doctor a few days after the Emperor's death, he rushed out to New Jersey. Why? Because that's where an eccentric American collector who had purchased Napoleon's member at a Parisian auction now kept the actual relic in an old suitcase under his bed. The story of Napoleon's privates triggered Perrottet's quest to research other such exotic sagas from history, to discover the actual evidence behind the most famous age-old mysteries: Did Churchill really send condoms of a surprising size to Stalin? Were champagne glasses really molded upon Marie Antoinette's breasts? What was JFK's real secret service? What were Casanova's best pickup lines? Napoleon's Privates is filled with offbeat, riotously entertaining anecdotes that are guaranteed to amaze, shock, and enliven any dinner party.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Excellent Read for Curious Minds October 2, 2008
I absolutely love this book! I am one of those people constantly asking questions, curious about everything, yearning for little known facts. Tony's book crushes my thirst for tidbits of taboo history and uncommon knowledge of celebrities past. His writing is sculpted in a humorous, yet matter of fact way, that keeps you engrossed. I recommend this read to anyone looking for a great conversational book, a person with a good sense of humor and an interest in historical figures. Don't let the title fool you, it's not all about Napoleon's [...], after all. I'm buying a copy for everyone on my Christmas list this year!
 Fun Tidbits of Irreverent History October 1, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book takes its title from the story that, upon his death, Napoleon's private parts were removed and, eventually, having passed through many hands (so to speak), ended up in the collection of one Dr. John K. Lattimer in Englewood, New Jersey. That should give the potential reader a sense of the kind of stories Mr. Perrottet is going to tell in this book.
On the other hand, despite the general theme of the stories, Mr. Perrottet deserves credit for taking the history seriously. He tells what is known, doesn't necessarily take things at face value, and corrects misconceptions where they exist. For example, he points out that droit de seigneur--the idea that the lord of the manor had the right to take the virginity of a new bride (featured so prominently in movies like Braveheart)--is most likely a complete fabrication by mediaeval and Renaissance writers.
His writing is also engaging. Most of his tales are quite brief; certainly, as much text as some of the stories deserve. However, his easy-reference charts are quite fun. The fact of the matter is, he covers a lot of interesting ground. It's worth the time it takes to read.
Interesting Quick Read October 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have a history degree so I found this book to be fascinating. It was offered in my book club for $9.95, so I snapped it up. It has over 60 "chapters" that are about 3-4 pages long. It tells a quick bit of history that most people have either not thought about or never took the time to research like was Abraham Lincoln or J. Edgar Hoover gay? Or did Hitler have a drug problem that caused him to become insane? Or how about who in history has had STDs? Mr. Perrottet tells you what history has found about a particular question and then at the end gives you source material where you can find further info on the topic. I think this would make a good car book for a quick read while waiting in traffic or a quick read while at the doctor's office. It does have some explicit information so I wouldn't recommend it to young children, however I'm sure that some teenagers may enjoy history a little more if they only knew some of this. I found this book to be enjoyable and a quick read. I would recommend it to anyone that has an interest in learning more about historical figures and their "private" lives.
Very funny look at history and its players September 18, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book takes a look at some very interesting historical oddities that are not usually covered in a textbook or history book.
The main story is about Napoleon and his private parts. Supposedly after he died at St. Helena the doctor doing the autopsy was not very happy with him and took his revenge. What did the doctor do? He cut off the Emperors penis. Over the years it has shrunk and gone from person to person. Where is it now? It is under the bed of a person interested in the life of Napoleon.
Some other interesting stories
1. Was J. Edgar Hoover really a cross dresser?
2. Where there really champagne glasses made from a mold of Marie Antoinette's breasts?
3. How many testicles did Hitler really have?
4. JFK and his many affairs
5. Many, many other fascinating stories to keep you reading for hours
everything i hoped for September 15, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Having read Perrottet's previous books, i was excited to receive this one from Amazon. I opened the book intending to just look at the first few pages but ended up reading the entire book in one sitting!
A first class experience!
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