This book's subtitle is "Conversations with 45 of the most accomplished, notorious and deceased personalities in
history."
This about says it all--except that they are funny, revealing, and realistic in terms of what the people might have said. From the Buddha to Edgar Allen Poe, from Nikola Tesla to Genghis Khan, from Joan of Arc to Mussolini, there are some of the most amazing
dialogues I've ever seen.
The author gives a chapter to each "respondant." He gives a short biography of the individual and then enters into the dialogues. The role-playing of these characters in these dialogues is extraordinary. The wise men say great words of wisdom. The conquerors are agressive. The musicians are all over the place, from surly, deaf Beethoven to child-like and crazy Mozart. This book is amazingly funny and very informative, though I didn't really realize that until later. It's great to dip into over and over, perhpas even more so in conjunction with a biography of the person in question. So many of these people one has always heard about, and yet never understood the depth and magnificence of their character and genius and the extent of their contributions. This book shows that more clearly than any text, book or lecture I've ever experienced.