Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings (When) Do Leaders Matter?

"Democracy is in crisis. At this critical point, we need leadership, not just from charismatic hucksters looking after their own interests, but from those with a vision for the future and moral clarity. But where do leaders come from; how and when do they matter? We know surprisingly little on this question, but Jared Diamond's erudite, engaging and thought-provoking book takes us a huge step forward toward understanding how circumstances and individual talents, determination and strategy make leaders that have the potential to change our world (hopefully for the better)."

- Daron Acemoglu, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics and NYT bestselling co-author of Why Nations Fail

"Through fascinating examples and case studies, Jared Diamond advances a novel argument about how to think of the most complex subject in social science: When do leaders matter? As with all Diamond's books, you'll never see the world in the same way again." - James A. Robinson, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics

"Fascinating in its richness of example and provocation to more thought. . . Reaches for one of the great questions: does leadership make a difference?" - Financial Times

"We live in turbulent times, and our societies look to exceptional individuals to navigate us out of crisis. But do leaders matter? And, if yes, what determines a leader's success? A must-read from the grand master of analytic history." - Peter Turchin, author of End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration

"Jared Diamond at his very best. Ranging from kings and conquerors to CEOs, coaches, and prophets, he tackles one of history's oldest questions with characteristic sweep and wisdom: when does an individual truly bend the course of events, and when does the moment carry the day instead? Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings is illuminating, surprising, and impossible to put down." - Nico Voigtländer, Professor of Global Economics and Management, UCLA Anderson School of Management

" In this book Jared Diamond ponders great imponderables with characteristic ingenuity. What if Hitler had died fifteen years sooner than he did? What if Darwin had never been born? How about John Wooden, or a celebrity CEO? The inquiries are fascinating, and sure to produce better dinner-table conversations for his readers." - Ward Farnsworth, W. Page Keeton Chair in Tort Law at University of Texas Austin

"An engaging and insightful set of case studies across very different spheres, asking when leaders can-and cannot-make a difference. Recommended for specialists and general readers alike."

- Steven Pennings, co-author of Leader Value Added: Assessing the Growth Contribution of Individual National Leaders

"Would history have been different if so-and-so had never lived? Diamond's amazing tour through the history of politics, business, sports, and religion shows us that the answer is not as obvious as we may think -- and shows how to use data to figure out the answers." - Benjamin Olken, TEPCO Professor of Economics, MIT

"Diamond takes a jaunty, entertaining look at the roles that individual leaders play-and the limits of those roles in politics, business, sports, and religion. His nimble, irreverent approach and insatiable curiosity lead to enlightening connections that stodgier academics wouldn't notice."

- Kirkus

"In Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings, Jared Diamond considers the impact leaders might have had on the course of their civilizations. . . . Diamond is a wonderfully likable and curious writer. . . . Diamond is always a fun time, and over the decades his writing has shaped the popular history field in a way that must be considered a unique personal achievement." - Dan Jones, The New York Times Book Review

"What determines the success of a society? Is it how mountainous their terrain is, or how diverse their crops? Or do their leaders matter, too? In a surprising turn, Diamond, the author of Guns, Germs and Steel and one of the biggest proponents of the supremacy of geography, thinks: maybe, yes. His new book examines the impact of a number of influential figures, from Adolf Hitler and Jesus Christ to the U.C.L.A. basketball coach John Wooden." - The New York Times

"In Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings, Jared Diamond turns his polymathic mind to leadership. It is a rollicking read." - The Economist

"In Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings, Jared Diamond tackles the question of how much individual leaders matter to the course of events. . . . Examines leaders in government, business and other fields to determine how the interplay of personal talent and historical circumstance shapes success or failure. . . . Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings demonstrates how individual leaders have succeeded in meeting challenges, from preparing for war to winning games." - Wall Street Journal