Napoleon the Little

This pointedly satirical assessment of the governing skills of Napoleon set into motion a series of international scandals upon its initial publication in 1852. Author Victor Hugo had been living and working in Belgium when Napoleon the Little was published, but at the urging of King Leopold, the Belgian ruler, he left that country and took up residence on Jersey, an island under British rule. Readers who like their history with a stiff dose of wit will be well pleased.