About book Hannibal And Me: What History's Greatest Military Strategist Can Teach Us About Success And Failure (2012)
I picked this book up because Hannibal is one of my favorite historical figures and I am always happy to read more about him. Having jumped right into it, I didn't really know what to expect so I was a little surprised by the fact that it was more than just a history, it also had significant philosophical, psychological, and even self-help elements to it. In studying how to define success and how people achieve or fail to achieve it, Kluth regards not only Hannibal's life, but those of his nemesis Scipio Africanus, Einstein, Cleopatra, Jung, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amy Tan, Steve Jobs, Merriwether Lewis, and more. The book shouldn't be taken as an authoritative history as there are speculations and even fictional interactions that the author uses to demonstrate his points but as an observation of human motivations through significant historical personages, I believe he does an admirable job. Despite moving freely between time periods and anecdotes, the text feels cohesive and focused, only occasionally did I think it meandered too much. There was an overtone of didacticism which was unfortunate but relatively easy to ignore until the conclusion which felt a bit trite to me, but overall enjoyed the book. I find a lot of the current trendy non-fiction works that are so popular these days to be boring or even infuriating but Hannibal and Me is an example of the genre done well. A great read with insightful cross referencing with other historical characters that illuminate the author's point. I learned not just about Hannibal, but also Eleanor Roosevelt, Ludwig Erhard, Morihei Ueshiba and others. The final chapter is most interesting. The greatest lesson is that history could only teach you that which impresses you. Wrong interpretation would lead to wrong lesson. Be balanced and unmoving in the face of tumultudous forces would be key. Now, unto the practice of these lessons!
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Unexpected take on Hannibal Barca story. A new addition to my list favorites.
—Tyler
Full of history I learned so much listening to this book.
—Eliz
This is one of the best books I have read ever...!
—Jordan
