Twelve Against the Gods cover art

Twelve Against the Gods

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About this listen

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.

Public Domain (P)2017 Audible Studios Historical Ancient History Middle Ages Leadership Socialism

Critic reviews

"Really good." (Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Motors)
All stars
Most relevant
The book requires your full attention, lest you lose track of the story. Wonderful in its portrayal of the heroes, a great look into the world of adventure.

Well...I see why it was recommended

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I can speak authoritatively about one of the subjects I know well - Muhammad. It’s no longer Elon Musk has a thing against Islam growing up on such lies.

Lie 1. Muhammad was a physically small man.

Lie 2. His adopted son Zayd was a Christian.

Lie 3. Food was among the 3 things the Prophet loved.

Lie 4. Quran is Muhammad speaking in 1st person… I could go on. I’ve spent thousands of hours reading and studying Muhammad and all the info contradicts this. I am afraid if the lies extend to other subjects.

Clear Lies

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