Blood and Splendor: The Lives of Five Tyrants, From Nero to Saddam Hussein

Blood and Splendor: The Lives of Five Tyrants, From Nero to Saddam Hussein

by Daniel Myerson
Blood and Splendor: The Lives of Five Tyrants, From Nero to Saddam Hussein

Blood and Splendor: The Lives of Five Tyrants, From Nero to Saddam Hussein

by Daniel Myerson

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Overview

"A page turner . . . entertaining history that's told with gusto and goes down like a pleasant aperitif."
–The Washington Post Book World (regarding Myerson's The Linguist and the Emperor)

Nero, Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, Hitler, and Saddam Hussein. The names evoke horror and bloodshed -- but also awe at the range of power of these despots and their accomplishments. What makes a tyrant? And why, when history has taught us time and again that they must be stopped, do such leaders continue to exist? The five short but substantial biographies in this volume help answer these questions as they tell the stories of five diabolical geniuses, exploring who they are, what they did, and what they drove them to such cruel lengths. You'll read about how the extragance of their lives and the complexity of their obsessions were played out through their political actions, often with global consequences. And you'll discover what conditions could create a tyrant just as horrible today. Spanning centuries and continents, these biographies offer a fascinating glimpse into history's darkest hearts and minds.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940014200042
Publisher: Daniel Myerson
Publication date: 04/06/2012
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
File size: 554 KB

About the Author

Daniel Meyerson, an Ellis Fellow at Columbia University, has taught writing at Columbia, New York University, and Bennington College. He is the author of several works of history, including IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS: HOWARD CARTER AND THE MYSTERY OF KING TUTANKHAMUN'S TOMB (Random House/Ballantine, 2009); THE LINGUIST AND THE EMPEROR: NAPOLEON AND CHAMPOLLION’S QUEST TO DECIPHER THE ROSETTA STONE (Random House/Ballantine, 2007) and BLOOD AND SPLENDOR: THE LIVES OF FIVE TYRANTS, FROM NERO TO SADDAM HUSSEIN (Harpercollins, 2005). His books have been critically-acclaimed in venues ranging from The Washington Post Book World to Time to Harpers to Publishers Weekly to Booklist. His most recent book was also named Amazon’s “Best of the Month.” He has appeared on Fox television and other national venues promoting his books. He received his MA in English and Comparative Literature and his M.Phil from Columbia University, where he was an Ellis Fellow. Daniel lives in New York City.
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