A first-rate madness
by S. Nassir Ghaemi · first published 2011
50% recommend50% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Argues that some effective crisis leaders are manic-depressive, with depressive periods giving clear sight of reality and mania supplying the energy to act; suits readers interested in leadership and mental illness.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
An investigation into the surprisingly deep correlation between mental illness and successful leadership, as seen through some of history's greatest politicians, generals, and businesspeople. "A First-Rate Madness," Nassir Ghaemi, who runs the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts University Medical Center, draws from the careers and personal plights of such notable leaders as Lincoln, Churchill, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., JFK, and others from the past two centuries to build an argument at once controversial and compelling: the very qualities that mark those with mood disorders- realism, empa
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…depression is never going to completely go away. Two books that have given me a lot of hope, taught me a lot are: > https://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-Melancholy-Depression-Challe... > https://www.amazon.com/First-Rate-Madness-Uncovering-Between... I'm sure someone's going to say that here's popsci, but I dunno, was good stuff for me. Great insights into mental disorders and how they can be worked around, even embraced. This…
on “A haunting new documentary about Anthony Bourdain” ↗You might appreciate this book: A first rate madness. It's about how some of the best crisis leaders are manic-depressives. Depressive periods give them the ability to see the world as it is, and the mania gives them the energy to do something about it.…
on “Depression Part Two” ↗…believe it. The smartest, most creative people I know also tend to suffer from crushing emotional problems -- depression, anxiety, loneliness. In a similar line of thinking, there's a book called "A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness" that was a fascinating read. The gist of the book is that our best leaders' mental illnesses had something to do with them being great. Abraham…
on “Intelligence, creativity and bipolar disorder may share underlying genetics” ↗Fascinating book "A First Rate Madness" goes into detail on Hitler, JFK and other leaders drug use/abuse and mental illness.
on “Hitler's Drug Addiction” ↗I encourage you to read the book 'First Rate Madness' to get an understanding of the link between crisis leaders and mental illness. Meyer appears to be a peacetime leader, not a crisis leader. Yahoo honestly needs a nutjob the likes of Steve Ballmer to…
on “Marissa Mayer Wants Three More Years to Turn Around Yahoo” ↗https://www.amazon.com/First-Rate-Madness-Uncovering-Between... Historians have long puzzled over the apparent mental instability of great and terrible leaders alike: Napoleon, Lincoln, Churchill, Hitler, and others. In A First-Rate Madness,…
on “Major Depressive Disorders Have an Enormous Economic Impact” ↗This book A First-Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi [0] is about that. He looks at various historical leaders and how one half of them make good wartime leaders, but bad peacetime leaders, and the other half -- the opposite. Some of his…
on “Ask HN: What made your favorite manager/supervisor/CEO so great?” ↗I recently read “A First-Rate Madness” by Nassir Ghaemi [1]. Although it focuses on mental illness (or the lack thereof) in historical leaders during times of crisis, I saw many parallels with tech leaders and their companies at different…
on “Elizabeth Holmes' Final Months at Theranos” ↗- The Master and His Emissary - Personality (Nettle) - Lonesome Dove - A First-Rate Madness - Slouching Towards Bethlehem - Dune - At the Existentialist Cafe Currently working on "The Hot Zone."
on “Ask HN: What books have you read recently?” ↗Link didn’t work, but seems the book is “A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness“
on “Major Depressive Disorders Have an Enormous Economic Impact” ↗