King of the Mountain

The author measures each [leader] on an index of political greatness and explores the common predilection toward conflict and war. This book will serve readers at all levels.

~Choice

Every single page contains something striking and thought-provoking.

~Fortean Times

World politics is made by world leaders. These men (very few are women), who love to present themselves as having their people's interests at heart, are driven by the same desire for power recognized by every primatologist as a universal alpha male characteristic. Based on nearly two thousand profiles of political leaders, King of the Mountain drives this point home as no other book before.

~Frans B. M. de Waal, author of Chimpanzee Politics

A unique and important contribution.... The insights and analyses have far-reaching consequences to all fields of human endeavor, especially to politics.... Clear, cogent, and at times laced with humor.

~George Schaller, Wildlife Conservation Society

An enjoyable book. The statistical tables alone are worth the price.

~Journal of the American Medical Association

There is a richness to Ludwig's approach that is very appealing.

~Leadership

A scholarly attempt to measure political leadership with the cool objectivity of science.

~New York Times

A thoroughly enjoyable read.... Ludwig's eye for an anecdote is a good one, and provides much pleasure.

~Nth Position

Well-written, engaging, insightful.... Ludwig's book makes a bona fide contribution to the study of leadership.

~Rhetoric and Public Affairs

An arresting book that casts political science out the window and explains leadership through comparisons with chimpanzees, baboons, and gorillas.

~Washington Post Book World

[T]he book is written well and in an accessible and engaging style. The author possesses a fine sense of humor, facilitated by a rich collection of entertaining and often bizarre anecdotes about world leaders, especially about characters such as Idi Amin, Bokassa, or Trujillo.

~Human Nature Review