Of the 90 billion intelligent people who have ever lived on the planet, the prominent and famous are a minority, but it is these fractions of a percent that have made history. Why these and not others?
Of the 90 billion intelligent people who have ever lived on the planet, the prominent and famous are a minority, but it is these fractions of a percent that have made history. Why these and not others? Two British journalists and science popularizers, John Lloyd and John Mitchinson, decided to compare the life stories of prominent historical figures and find an algorithm for their success. Randomly choosing 68 celebrity biographies, they honestly tried to find something in common in them. Difficult childhood? Yes, the young Freud experienced the hardships of poverty, but Franklin was never particularly in need. Obsession and fanaticism? Robert Peary unsuccessfully stormed the North Pole eight times, and Alexander Humboldt, a scientist and traveler, succeeded the first time. Healthy lifestyle? Henry Ford followed various diets, but Howard Hughes could eat milk and chocolate bars … In general, Lloyd and Mitchinson’s book turned out to be a witty «evidence from the contrary»: finding your own way is definitely more productive than «making a life» with someone.
PHANTOM PRESS, 512 p.