What was Napoleon like as a person?

Napoleon Bonaparte was a complex and contradictory personality described by contemporaries and historians as extremely ambitious, intelligent, charismatic, and driven, but also egotistical, restless, and capable of great charm and great ruthlessness. Born in Corsica in 1769, he was known for his extraordinary work ethic, often working 16 to 18 hours a day, dictating letters to multiple secretaries, and possessing a remarkable memory for details including troop numbers, artillery positions, and names of soldiers. He was charismatic and could inspire intense loyalty among his troops, often visiting battlefields and speaking to common soldiers, which made his army deeply devoted to him. He was also highly educated, read extensively, and saw himself as a child of the Enlightenment, implementing legal reforms like the Napoleonic Code that still influences law today. At the same time, he was famously impatient, quick-tempered, and could be abrasive and dismissive to advisors who disagreed. He had a dry, sometimes dark sense of humor and was known to be insecure about his height and Corsican accent early in life. In private life, he was known to be affectionate with family, particularly his mother and his first wife Josephine, but also controlling and jealous. He was both a visionary reformer and an authoritarian ruler, a combination that makes him one of history's most fascinating and debated figures.