Heroic, ambitious, fiery and individualistic, Sir Charles James Napier (1782-1853) inspired his troops and infuriated the authorities. This four-volume biography (1857) by his brother William tells the story of his life and career, describing his campaigns, his character, his high-profile admirers and the controversies he generated.

Heroic, ambitious, opinionated and independent to the point of insubordination, Sir Charles James Napier (1782-1853) was an inspiring leader. Published in 1857 in four volumes, this is the story of Napier's remarkable, action-packed and often controversial life and military career, as told by his brother William. The biography places Napier's life in historical context, and contains portraits, extracts from his letters and entertaining anecdotes. William's admiration for his brother is evident throughout, and he describes how his brother's fiery character divided opinion. A close friend of Lord Byron, Napier also had a great admirer in Thomas Carlyle, who described him as 'more of a hero than any modern I have seen for a long time'. Volume 1 describes Napier's upbringing in Ireland - where, according to his brother, he was 'sickly as a child from the misconduct of a barbarous nurse' - and his early years abroad in combat.