The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo

by Tom Reiss
The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo cover
Good Books rating 4.4
Biography and Memoir
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £12.99
Bookshop
Format • £12.34
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 179
  • Added: 2025-09-03
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • Formats: 54
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
She Reads Novels · 2024-05-29
insightful 4.50

The book highlights the remarkable life of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, focusing on his rise from the son of a French aristocrat and a freed slave to a key military leader, while also addressing the tragic sidelining of his legacy compared to more famous contemporaries like Napoleon.

This biography sheds light on a largely forgotten historical figure, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, whose life story is both inspiring and heartbreaking. The reviewer appreciates how the book gives deserved attention to Dumas's extraordinary achievements and complex identity, emphasizing his role in the French Revolutionary Wars and the racial and social challenges he faced. They note that while Napoleon remains widely known, Dumas's story is a compelling reminder of overlooked history and contributes to a richer understanding of multicultural influences in European history.

Quick quotes

    The Black Count is an attempt to give Dumas the attention he deserves and make his story known to a modern audience.

    By the age of thirty-two was General-in-Chief of the French Army of the Alps, commanding 53,000 men.

    Napoleon remains one of the most well known historical figures of all time, but Alex Dumas has been largely forgotten.

Talking About Books · 2023-11-18
engaging 4.30

The biography is praised for portraying Alexandre Dumas the elder's extraordinary life and unique perspective as both the son of a marquis and a slave, showing his integration into French aristocratic society and the impact of his mixed heritage on his worldview.

The reviewer finds the book compelling in how it explores Dumas's dual identity and the social dynamics of 18th-century France, where the mulatto children of Frenchmen were somewhat accepted yet still had a distinct perspective. The biography is appreciated for fleshing out the real-life inspiration behind famous literary works and for highlighting the personal and societal contradictions that shaped Dumas's experience. This review emphasizes the book's success in portraying Dumas as a figure who navigated complex social hierarchies with a unique vantage point, making his story both historically and culturally significant.

Quick quotes

    Dumas—the son of a marquis and a slave—had the unique perspective of being from the highest and lowest ranks of society at once.

    The boy was raised in luxury. This was a time when the mulatto children of Frenchmen were accepted in French society.

    His race gave him a different perspective from the others.

Literary Review · Jonathan Keates · 2013-04-25
heroic 4.40

Jonathan Keates reflects on the powerful narrative of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas’s life, emphasizing its heroic qualities and the layered complexities of glory, revolution, and betrayal that define his story.

Keates admires the biography for bringing to life a heroic figure whose achievements and turbulent life resonate with themes of courage and betrayal. He appreciates how the book situates Dumas not only as a military leader but also as a symbol of the tumultuous era of the French Revolution, making the biography a compelling and richly textured account. The review suggests that Dumas’s story is a poignant and inspiring tale that challenges historical neglect, highlighting the intersection of race and power in revolutionary France.

Quick quotes

    The Black Count is a heroic narrative of glory, revolution, and betrayal.

    Dumas’s achievements resonate with the tumult and ideals of the French Revolution.

    His story challenges historical neglect and highlights issues of race and power.

Appears in Lists