The 1929 collection of short and exquisitely written biographical essays on the lives of such famed adventurers as Alexander the Great, Casanova, Christopher Columbus, Napoleon, and Isadora Duncan.
The author, William Bolitho, celebrates the contradictions and bipolar tensions that live inside and often drive even history's most celebrated heroes. Although all the greats featured in the book lived ages ago, the principles by which they lived their lives hold valuable lessons for those of us in contemporary times.
All were wildly successful in their chosen fields and we aim to distil key business, leadership and personal lessons from these. Each chapter delves into the life of one of the characters from the classic book, tracing their path to success (and ultimate ruin) while highlighting the key lessons to be gleaned.