Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Single Manuscript Page of Napoleon's Sold


I had no idea that Napoleon Bonaparte wrote fiction, did you? Recently, according to the Scotsman, the first page of his novel (a love story) sold for about $35,000. That puts to shame my recent royalties check for my novel. It was enough to buy me a bagel. One of those good ones.

From the story:

Clisson and Eugenie - only 22 pages in its original handwritten form - is the last piece of creative writing Napoleon produced before turning his literary attention to political matters, said Mr Hicks, who helped publish the most complete text of the novel in September.

He said the general was well-read and influenced by the Enlightenment thinker Rousseau, whose ideas of the solitary poet and reverence for nature find their way into the novel.

Perhaps I should read more Rousseau if I'm to make this kind of money on my writing. Or, perhaps, you know, rule France and change the course of history.

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