A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness

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A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 896 ratings · 209 reviews

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.

In 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...more 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.

In 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, empathy, resilience, and creativity-also make for the best leaders in times of crisis. By combining astute analysis of the historical evidence with the latest psychiatric research, Ghaemi demonstrates how these qualities have produced brilliant leadership under the toughest circumstances.

Take realism, for instance: study after study has shown that those suffering depression are better than "normal" people at assessing current threats and predicting future outcomes. Looking at Lincoln and Churchill among others, Ghaemi shows how depressive realism helped these men tackle challenges both personal and national. Or consider creativity, a quality psychiatrists have studied extensively in relation to bipolar disorder. A First-Rate Madness shows how mania inspired General Sherman and Ted Turner to design and execute their most creative-and successful-strategies.

Ghaemi's thesis is both robust and expansive; he even explains why eminently sane men like Neville Chamberlain and George W. Bush made such poor leaders. Though sane people are better shepherds in good times, sanity can be a severe liability in moments of crisis. A lifetime without the cyclical torment of mood disorders, Ghaemi explains, can leave one ill equipped to endure dire straits. He also clarifies which kinds of insanity-like psychosis-make for despotism and ineptitude, sometimes on a grand scale.

Ghaemi's bold, authoritative analysis offers powerful new tools for determining who should lead us. But perhaps most profoundly, he encourages us to rethink our view of mental illness as a purely negative phenomenon. As A First-Rate Madness makes clear, the most common types of insanity can confer vital benefits on individuals and society at large-however high the price for those who endure these illnesses.

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Hardcover, 340 pages

Published August 4th 2011 by Penguin Press HC, The (first published 2011)

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Feb 14, 2013 Kerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

The psych student in me was extremely excited to open this delectable treat... and it certainly didn't disappoint as by page 2 I get: "in times of crisis, we are better off being led by mentally ill leaders than by mentally normal ones". If you aren't intrigued by that then I think there's an RL Stine or Twilight book out there that might be right up yer alley...

On to the next one...now after studying psych here's what I can tell you: Ghaemi is brilliant for those who don't know in-depth psych -...more The psych student in me was extremely excited to open this delectable treat... and it certainly didn't disappoint as by page 2 I get: "in times of crisis, we are better off being led by mentally ill leaders than by mentally normal ones". If you aren't intrigued by that then I think there's an RL Stine or Twilight book out there that might be right up yer alley...

On to the next one...now after studying psych here's what I can tell you: Ghaemi is brilliant for those who don't know in-depth psych - the correlations of varying mental illnesses are short & sweet. In turn he's killer for those of us that have and are dying for more! I may be lurking in a class or two of yours soon Dr. Ghaemi! I mean that in a strictly non-stalkerish way of course.

In short, I think this book is unbelievably fascinating. For a myriad of reasons. It puts a whole unseen light of what mental illness has done to BETTER society. Which in turn just sparks more dialogue and hopefully more understanding of those who suffer from it. Hell for those of us that do its a beacon. For understanding that what "afflicts" us isn't completely a curse but in such a larger social context a blessing...within reason of course. Bc what may be for the best of society is hell within one mans home. A fine line of "genius" is walked, but understood so much more.

Some phenomenal quotes follow within this book as well such as: "Our leaders cannot be perfect; they need not be perfect; their imperfections indeed may produce greatness. We make a mistake, however instinctive, when we choose leaders like us."

In every possible way, there has never been a more incredible and concise argument for why "mental illness" has advanced (and in especially bad environments mixed with the wrong medication, de-evolved) mankind. There need not be a shun on such things IF acknowledged and treated in the right way. It is why in fact, mankind has thrived at points and failed in others.

Mind BLOWN. (Well not really but finally stoked to see someone put in words what society has worked so hard to reject).

I am absolutely sneaking into some of Dr. Ghaemi's lectures if I don't just drop my career and Pursue a phd already. Boom.(less)

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Jan 04, 2012 Pat rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book provides an interesting analysis of world leaders & how their mental health influenced their leadership. The author's analysis of such world figures as Lincoln, General Sherman, Hitler, FDR, Nixon, JFK and many others and how they reacted during crisis and non crisis situations depending on his interpretation of their mental health is fascinating. His conclusion is that leaders with certain types of mental illness (bipolar) handle crisis situations better than non mentally ill (nor...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Matthew Mccrady rated it 4 of 5 stars

A short, but dense study of mental illness (specifically manic depression) in great leaders. The authors' thesis is that depression and mania can make a person a better leader during times of crisis. The author also attempts to prove the corollary, that a stable, mentally healthy person may be a good leader in peaceful times, but won't make the right choices during a crisis. The examples of the mentally ill leader are Lincoln, Sherman, Kennedy, FDR and Churchill. Hitler is also thrown into the m...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Cynde Beaton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Without a doubt this book tackles a fascinating topic.I enjoyed learning of the personal struggles of famous historical figures as these facts are rarely mentioned in mainstream history. The author's suggestion that leaders with mental illness serve us better in times of crisis however, is both difficult to prove, and subjective.
We cannot recreate the exact conditions of the Second World War and appoint an alternate British Prime Minister, one deemed to be mentally competent,to see how the out...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Runa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone ever.

I have never seen a stronger case against the stigma that mental illness carries than what was written in this book. What a read. Ghaemi takes this radical approach in outlining why certain revered historical figures very probably had mental illnesses, including Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, both of whom I learned had attempted suicide at some point in their lives. He takes it a step further though, by showing how their mental illnesses led them to success rather than failure, the same succe...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Lois rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting treatise in psychological history. Intrigued by the premise that mental illness can bring with it some characteristics that enhance leadership, I picked it up and struggled with the last half particularly. The author, a Tufts University psychiatrist and expert in mood disorders looks at General Sherman, Lincoln, Churchill, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ghandi, and Hitler and does some comparisons with what he calls "homoclites" (normal mental health status and wow,...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

As asocial studies teacher and a mental health professional, this book grabbed me right away. I enjoyed learning about his theory and how some of the characteristics of mental illness can be a benefit to leaders. I also think it does a good job of alleviating some of the stigma associated with mental illness. My respect for leaders was also increased when I learned of their struggles and at the same time how much they led a nation or group of people. That being said, I think it is important to r...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Gale Jake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Insightful in its basic concept, ie: leaders who tend toward manic are good in times of crisis, poor in times of peace and tranquility. Leaders who tend toward depression are good in times of peace and normal times, poor in times of crisis. He makes some good points.

His approach was to focus on the psychological history of leaders versus the actions of the leaders. What impact did the leader's state of mind have on the actions and outcome? Why did they behave as they did?

After a good start, the...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Stefanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book would have gotten three or four stars had its theme been slightly different. The author posits on p. 17, "The best crisis leaders are either mentally ill or mentally abnormal; the worst crisis leaders are mentally healthy." Had the book stuck to the specific cases, that is, something closer to "Here are some amazing leaders who had mental illness, and I would argue that their illnesses helped inform and shape their successful leadership," I could have backed that thesis 100%. I can't h...more This book would have gotten three or four stars had its theme been slightly different. The author posits on p. 17, "The best crisis leaders are either mentally ill or mentally abnormal; the worst crisis leaders are mentally healthy." Had the book stuck to the specific cases, that is, something closer to "Here are some amazing leaders who had mental illness, and I would argue that their illnesses helped inform and shape their successful leadership," I could have backed that thesis 100%. I can't help but wonder about which historical leaders were potentially not successful because of mental illness, or maybe they didn't have the opportunity to shine because they didn't have the right crisis to lead through. President Franklin Pierce comes to mind, who is said to have suffered from depression, as an example. He had pre-Civil War issues to deal with, among other problems, but has been ranked one of the least effective presidents by historians. Was this a matter of the wrong crisis? Not enough coping skills?

On page 223, the dismissal of the leadership contributions of Truman and Eiserhower took my breath away: "I would say that they were homoclites [people of normal mental health], but that their presidential successes did not include handling major crises, like World War II (almost over when Truman took office). . . or the civil rights crisis (Eisenhower briefly intervened in Little Rock, and otherwise avoided conflict)." First, Truman took a very Shermanesque approach to war, dropping two bombs that killed well over 100,000 people, many of them civilians, in order to stop the conflict and preserve the lives of hundreds of thousands more. No nod to that, given that Sherman was an inspriation for this project? How is Truman's decision not bold and forward thinking? Wasn't that decisive action in a crisis situation? And perhaps Eisenhower's presidential leadership wasn't challenged in a way that allowed him to stand out, but what about his performance during World War II in Africa and Europe? As Supreme Commander in both places, surely he had plenty of crises that he handled, and handled well, given the outcome of the conflict?

That was the point at which the author lost me as a reader, because I didn't trust him to be looking at the material objectively. It's not a coindidence, I suspect, that I found the sections on mentally healthy leaders to be the weakest parts of the book. Also, there was some carelessness in language; for example, "A depressive person sleeps less, and the nighttime becomes a dreaded chore that one can never achieve properly" (p. 17).

A final question: Assuming leaders with mental illness are indeed the best kind to have during a crisis, what then? Should voters be trying to elect depressive or hyperthymic leaders? How do we determine this when such information is usually hidden from the public? How do voters anticipate the crises that might necessitate different types of leadership?

I had high hopes for this book, and I do admire the author for his ambition, but a slightly different approach would have made it better.(less)

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Jan 28, 2012 Erwin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite

Excellent book. Profiles Lincoln, General Sherman, Hitler, Gandhi, Churchill. MLK. FDR. JFK and Ted Turner.

Original writing. Interesting parallel between this book and How Great Generals Win, which also extensively profiles General Sherman, among other strategists.

Dr. Ghaemi focuses on "manic-depression" (or bipolar disorder), and compares this to what we call "normal" personalities, IE, people with a "general feeling of well being".

Great leadership benefits from a few qualities that the "mental...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Jb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Core argument is that mental illness enhances leadership in crisis situations, but a healthy mind hinders. Author, a Tufts University Medical School psychiatry prof, mines historical works to state that “hyperthymic” leaders such as FDR, JFK, ML King and Churchill when they were on a “high” were right for their times. They performed well under pressure. On the other hand, so-called “normal” personalities such as G.W. Bush, Civil War Gen. George McClellan, and British PM Neville Chamberlain did n...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Marya rated it 1 of 5 stars

"And, isn't sanity really just a one-trick pony anyway? I mean all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when you're good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit." - The Tick

From his eminent philosophical standing, the Tick nicely summarizes pretty much the only point in this work's introduction I could accept. The author's thesis, that mentally ill leaders are preferable in times of crisis while sane leaders are better at steering a straight course during non-crisis times, seem...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Who writes history? Those who control the media and the winners of any conflict. This is a summary of some of history's greatest and worst leaders. It reads much like a dissertation only without statistical data to support the hypothesis but plenty of anecdotal which is soft data. The author asserts that the best leaders in war and other stress, were on the bipolar spectrum. The worst leaders under stress were mentally stable.

Many of the examples used are self-proclaimed sufferers of depression...more Who writes history? Those who control the media and the winners of any conflict. This is a summary of some of history's greatest and worst leaders. It reads much like a dissertation only without statistical data to support the hypothesis but plenty of anecdotal which is soft data. The author asserts that the best leaders in war and other stress, were on the bipolar spectrum. The worst leaders under stress were mentally stable.

Many of the examples used are self-proclaimed sufferers of depression or other mood disorder. Others suffered from a physical malady which, when treated medically, led to an unstable mood. Or a sexually transmitted disease which produced an atypical mood. At any rate, the author suggests that a depressed person is more likely to exhibit realism, a manic person has enhanced creativity and a depressed person feels more empathy. I agree to some degree that this is true, only I wouldn't put these people directly on the mental illness scale. An awake person expresses greater creativity while a depressed poet produces depressing poetry which is not in a manic stage. A person who has experienced life, not necessarily depression, might already know they don't control the world but how they react to circumstances.

A few months ago I read "The Psychopath Test" which empowered those trained in this checklist to diagnose a psychopath. In short order, the checklist qualified most of the population as exhibiting psychopathic personalities. As a graduate student in psychology, I read my new DSM III-R and diagnosed myself with no less than 58 psychological disorders. Once informed of the uses of the DSM and realizing it is only the extremes that interfere with regular interactions and work, my list dropped to only two. One when I wasn't PMS-ing.

It is much easier to find episodic personality traits and pigeon-hole a historical leader into a mental illness, especially if that person is dead and unable to refute the diagnosis. It is also known that psychiatry and psychology is a soft science. Not that I don't respect the field because I do. On the other hand, the new diagnosis is Pervasive Developmental Disorder or the Autism Spectrum. Now all the quirky kids who have a less than ideal awareness of social appropriate behavior can be shoved onto this broad spectrum and receive a 504 plan excusing angry outbursts at school rather than accepting consequences for acting out and hurting other children. Ten years ago, these same children were being diagnosed with anxiety and depression and treatment reflected that diagnosis.

The author's hypothesis is an interesting one but left me feeling like the hypothesis was not settled. My belief is that mood disorders or mental instability is not a good predictor of leadership skills. I didn't see the connection as the author presented the information. I wanted to be convinced with hard evidence but instead, I was underwhelmed.(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Joan rated it 3 of 5 stars

The goal of the author was to establish that in times of crisis, it is better to be lead by people who are/have been mentally ill. Case studies are presented with a thumbnail sketch of the evidence for pathology and then how it influenced the outcome of the leadership. The author argues that leaders who have experienced (and recovered from) manic depression (or the less severe but related hyperthymia) are more likely to be divergent thinkers and able to come up with creative solutions to crisis...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Karyl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-reads, 2012, non-fiction

Another book that really deserves 3.5 stars. Ghaemi has a fascinating premise, that mental illness isn't necessarily a drawback, but can in fact be a boon for our leaders, especially in times of crisis. The mini biographies he gives of various men are quite fascinating. I hadn't known before reading this book that John F. Kennedy was in fact a very ill man, sick with Addison's disease that very nearly killed him quite a few times. I can get behind most of Ghaemi's premise in that I do believe th...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely fascinating! The author's thesis is that certain kinds of mental illness, notably bipolar disorder and its milder cousins, develop characteristics in people that enable them to deal with complex crises that other, more normal people struggle with. He talks about realism, resilience, creativity, and empathy as being those characteristics.

Most of the book is devoted to case studies of famous leaders as examples of this thesis. Some of these are very compelling (e.g., Will...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Bob rated it 4 of 5 stars

When you look at the problems that face world leaders, especially in times of crisis, you might think, "You have to be crazy to want to do that job." To psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi, being "crazy", or, more precisely, having some form of mental illness may be just what is needed for some leaders to be able to accomplish great things during times of great need.

Ghaemi examines, in varying details, the lives of people whom he believes had some form of mental illness in their lives. The people examine...more When you look at the problems that face world leaders, especially in times of crisis, you might think, "You have to be crazy to want to do that job." To psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi, being "crazy", or, more precisely, having some form of mental illness may be just what is needed for some leaders to be able to accomplish great things during times of great need.

Ghaemi examines, in varying details, the lives of people whom he believes had some form of mental illness in their lives. The people examined are Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, William T. Sherman, Ted Turner, Martin Luther King, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and, as an example of how things can go terribly wrong, Adolf Hitler.

The author's theory is that people with certain forms of mental illness, especially bipolar disorder or clinical depression, have certain abilities that help them in times of crisis. These disorders are not something you would ordinarily want to have. But, in a time of crisis, a bipolar personality, for example, has the ability to accomplish more than someone who is mentally healthy. (It's important to note that not everyone suffers from mental illnesses in the exact same way. Some are more severe than others. Also, some don't have every symptom.)

A person with depression may have more empathy to those who are suffering. Gandhi and King are the examples used by Ghaemi to illustrate this point. King's bouts with depression are hard to identify, although Gandhi's are more easily identified.

Kennedy and Hitler are presented as two men who took different courses in life because of how they were treated medically. Ghaemi believes that both Kennedy and Hitler suffered from some form of bipolar disorder. Kennedy's mental health was further complicated by a dangerous hormonal imbalance known as Addison's disease.

Hitler was treated by various Nazi physicians with dangerous concoctions of anabolic steroids as well as intravenous doses of amphetamines. These treatments served to make a dangerous mental condition into a horrific one.

Kennedy was sick most of his life and preoccupied with death. He also was preoccupied with sex. Kennedy was also treated with steroids, some of them anabolic. For much of his life, there was little rhyme or reason to their use. Around 1962, Kennedy's medical treatment became more regulated, which Ghaemi believes led to a far more successful presidency for Kennedy.

Ghaemi makes a good case for showing how people with forms of mental illness can make decisions better during crises, they show more empathy, and they can be more creative. The problem is that most people would never knowingly choose someone to be a leader if they knew that he or she suffered from a mental illness. And, in peaceful times, a mentally ill person could be the last person you want in charge.(less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Cleokatra rated it 2 of 5 stars

I’m not sure what to make of this one. If I had some money, I think I would buy a few copies and pay some people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness to read this book. I’d really like to know what people with first-hand experience think of this. If you have a mental illness, could you, like, go to the library and then get back to me? Maybe?

Anyway, the basic premise of the book is that people with mental illness are better leaders in times of crisis and mentally healthy people are bett...more I’m not sure what to make of this one. If I had some money, I think I would buy a few copies and pay some people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness to read this book. I’d really like to know what people with first-hand experience think of this. If you have a mental illness, could you, like, go to the library and then get back to me? Maybe?

Anyway, the basic premise of the book is that people with mental illness are better leaders in times of crisis and mentally healthy people are better leaders when things are boring. The author suggests that people with depression and bipolar disorder are more resilient and mentally flexible because they have experience overcoming difficulties. I guess this is the part that I am questioning. If you are living with depression (and I mean “depression” as in the actual disease, not just a case of the blues) is this because something bad happened to you or is it an issue of brain chemistry or is it both? In my own case, I think my episodes of depression were caused by a combination of bad stuff happening, plus my basic nature as a somewhat gloomy person. It seems to me that a person with better brain chemistry (or whatever) would have reacted to those events in a different way that did not involve being depressed.

As a scientist, I am always aware that correlation is not causation. Another thing I am aware of is that psychology is a “soft” science. I think both those factors are at play here. I think the author found a hypothesis and then cherry picked some observations to support it. That’s easier to do with this sort of science than it is in a field like physics.

In this case, I think the actual causation is not mental illness but introversion and a tendency toward self-examination and reflection. People who think a lot are better at dealing with complex situations because they are used to thinking. They don’t just react emotionally from their “gut”, like an animal. That isn’t the same as a mental illness, though I do think that some people with mental illness may spend more time thinking about their feelings and emotional state. If you don’t feel good, there is more to think about. You think more about breathing when you have a head cold than when you are healthy, right?
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Sep 23, 2011 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers of Mary Sheedy Kurcinka

Shelves: nonfiction, civil-war

Ghaemi argues that mood disorders on the depression and bipolar spectrum enhance the performance of leaders in times of crisis, because depressed people have higher levels of creativity, realism, resilience, and empathy than mentally normal people (termed "homoclites," like G.W. Bush).

The book is a quick read because Ghaemi's profiles of the leaders he discusses are boiled down to a few quotations from the historical record that strongly support his thesis. Thus, the book is a very good overview...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Shannon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Shannon by: Wall Street Journal

Shelves: 2011

I think it's important that this book was written, but I don't know that you necessarily need to read this book yourself. You can get pretty much the whole book from this quote:

"Mental health — sanity—does not ensure good leadership; in fact, it often entails the reverse. Mental illness can produce great leaders, but if the illness is too severe, or treated with the wrong drugs, it produces failure or, sometimes, evil. The relationship between mental illness and leadership turns out to be quite...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Caitlin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ghaemi's book is interesting for the hypothesis it proposes: in times of crisis, the better leader may be one with some degree of mental illness/abnormality of personality, rather than a "healthy" leader (who, conversely, may do a fine job during times of general peace, when a leader with mental illness would be unsuccessful). I think I would have to read more on this topic to say whether or not I fall into Ghaemi's camp, but according to him, there is little other literature to be found on the...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Sally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, non-fiction, borrowed-from-library

Tricky to read at times, but I think the basic idea is that if a leader is a little off-kilter mentally then the better he can handle a crisis. It doesn't matter if he's good (Churchill) or evil (Hitler), mental illness and how it's treated will effect the leadership.

General McClellan was an intelligent general but was too cautious for Lincoln's liking. In contrast, Sherman was more able to take great leaps because he had experienced failure in his dark days of depression. He knew that failure...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Christina added it

Shelves: audio-book, health-science, history, joe, jan-2013

I want to give this book 5 stars and 1 star all at the same time. In defense of 5 stars, I think Nassir's idea that we should open to the "useful" and even "positive" traits of mental illness is rather interesting. So the basic premise of his book is worth while in my opinion. He also compels the read to grapple with ides such as: what is sanity? Why is it so very valued in the modern world? Is the search for sanity and the efforts to control sanity through medication a worth while effort? Are t...more I want to give this book 5 stars and 1 star all at the same time. In defense of 5 stars, I think Nassir's idea that we should open to the "useful" and even "positive" traits of mental illness is rather interesting. So the basic premise of his book is worth while in my opinion. He also compels the read to grapple with ides such as: what is sanity? Why is it so very valued in the modern world? Is the search for sanity and the efforts to control sanity through medication a worth while effort? Are there advantages to being insane? Why does every personality nuance have to be diagnosed? Is the insane/sane issue a means of control?

He goes through the lives of several key historical figures and discusses their "sanity" or lack there of in relation to their leadership skills. This marginally interesting based on the history of the specific person he is addressing. He then contrasts the "insane" with "sane" political leaders.

THE BEST MUST READ SECTION OF THE BOOK IS ON THE COLLECTIVE PROFILE OF THE NAZI LEADERSHIP (NOT HITLER) BUT THE OTHER LEADERS WHO WERE EXAMINED AND TRIED AT NUREMBERG. THIS SECTION IS A MUST READ! MUST READ!

Now why for my 1 star review. I think author has a major political bias toward Democratic political leaders and against Republican ones. Yes, JFK may have been nuts and he made have gotten the US out of the Cuban Missile Crisis, BUT HE GOT US INTO THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS WITH HIS HORRIBLE HANDLING OF THE BAY OF PIGS!!! HELLO! He also seems to think its was no problem that JFK was a drug abusing whoremonger. But thats part of what makes him great. Really? He dismisses GWB's alcohol issues and claims he is 100% normal-- maybe he is, maybe he's not. But throughout the book he Nassir is issuing apologetic reasons for why certain ugly behaviors of Democrat presidents where just leadership quirks. Really????

As for the Ted Turner section.... I am left speechless and NOT INA GOOD WAY.

Also, he repeated himself too much and would have been better served to contract the "sane" and "insane" leaders one after another instead of in two different sections.

All and all, I say skim the good parts skip the crap. (less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Alexis rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let's begin... I never took a psych class in college, and I am essentially self-taught in history, but I could tell almost immediately that I was going to agree with virtually nothing Ghaemi said. First, his definition of madness is purely limited to mania and depression, which I find insulting to anyone who finds themselves on the bipolar spectrum. It is also very clear that Ghaemi found very specific leaders to analyze and then picked out certain characteristics to fit into his thesis. For exa

...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found out about this book while skimming the sections at Barnes and Noble. I opened it up and was enthralled from the moment I read the first chapter. Decided to buy it on Amazon, though. Having taken many classes in psychology and knowing many people with bipolar disorder I felt that Ghaemi made many valid points throughout the book. If one wants to learn about the disorder, go to a doctor's manuscript and read more- he has many positive thoughts about being diagnosed and does not necessarily...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Dan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ghaemi writes well, and I enjoy hearing his references to different studies and psychological phenomena as well as his anecdotes about famous leaders. However, he overgeneralizes in both of these areas. It's almost offensive to see how little substance there is to back up his claims about some leaders' temperaments, and his idea that mentally ill leaders are necessary in crisis situations while normal people are better in times of stability, seems to be an oversimplification to say the least (ev...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Riccol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: peoria-pl, non-fiction

While I agree with his basic ideas I don't think he successfully proved his main theory, but an interesting read nonetheless.

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Aug 20, 2012 Joe Adelizzi rated it 3 of 5 stars

While I still agree with the premise of this book, i.e., there is a link between leadership and mental illness - I'm not totally convinced by the evidence presented. I enjoyed the history presented and was facinated by the looks into the lives and mental states of several leaders, however I couldn't shake the feeling that the supporting evidence was so selective as to be pointless - like proving that all geniuses are lefthanded by mentioning only left-handed geniuses. I am also not comfortable t...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction, politics-history

Studying what makes leaders great and what qualities leaders have in common is nothing new but the way that Ghaemi looks at people like Ted Turner, JFK, and Gandhi is off the beaten path. We want to know what made these people great. Why did they rise to the top? How did they become such great leaders? Can we learn from them? Can we emulate their characteristics? This book covers some of the most well known men from the world's recent history. All of the men that Ghaemi covers have one thing in...more Studying what makes leaders great and what qualities leaders have in common is nothing new but the way that Ghaemi looks at people like Ted Turner, JFK, and Gandhi is off the beaten path. We want to know what made these people great. Why did they rise to the top? How did they become such great leaders? Can we learn from them? Can we emulate their characteristics? This book covers some of the most well known men from the world's recent history. All of the men that Ghaemi covers have one thing in common, they have some sort of mood disorder.

I really liked the way that this book was laid out. Ghaemi devotes a chapter to each of the characteristics that he claims are both present in great leaders and those that have mood disorders including realism, empathy, resilience, and creativity. Each chapter begins with a description of the characteristic and then profiles of leaders who exemplified those characteristics. It was really interesting to see how that connection between a mood disorder, something that is often seen as debilitating in some way or limiting, and great leadership in tough times.

The book was fascinating. Ghaemi looks at personal letters and history to show how these leaders were affected by their mood disorders. Ghaemi tests his hypothesis even further by looking at how leaders without mood disorders sometimes don't handle tough times as well as they could. He looks specifically at Tony Blair and George W. Bush. One thing I did wonder is whether or not Ghaemi believes that you must have some sort of mood disorder in order to be a good leader. That point is never really made clear in the book.

You don't have to be a psychology major to get anything out of this book. Ghaemi does a really good job of both drawing the reader in and giving a thorough picture of where he is coming from. One of my favorite things about books is when I'm left with new questions to explore after I'm finished reading and A First Rate Madness definitely did that for me!

Bottom line: This is a very interesting study in leadership and gave me a lot of things to think about. This book was definitely enjoyable.(less)

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Nov 12, 2011 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ui-lib

I found this book not only fascinating but a compelling idea. The author contends that the best leaders during times of crisis are those with a mental illness. He suggests this is the case for only certain illnesses which are severe depression, mania, bipolar disorder, and hyperthymia . His idea is that depression makes one a realist and empathetic while mania makes on creative and resilient. He gives numerous examples including General Sherman, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, MLK, FDR, JFK...more

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About Nassir Ghaemi

Nassir Ghaemi MD MPH is an academic psychiatrist specializing in mood illnesses, especially bipolar disorder. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where he directs the Mood Disorders Program. He is a also a Clinical Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and teaches at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

In the past, he trained and worked mostly in the Boston a...more Nassir Ghaemi MD MPH is an academic psychiatrist specializing in mood illnesses, especially bipolar disorder. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where he directs the Mood Disorders Program. He is a also a Clinical Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and teaches at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

In the past, he trained and worked mostly in the Boston area, mainly in Harvard-affiliated hospitals (McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Cambridge Hospital). He has also worked at George Washington University, and Emory University. His medical degree is from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University.

His clinical work and research has focused on depression and manic-depressive illness. In this work, he has published over 100 scientific articles, over 30 scientific book chapters, and he has written or edited a number of books. He serves on a number of editorial boards of psychiatric journals, is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and previously was chairman of the Diagnostic Guidelines Task Force of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD).

After his medical training, he obtained an MA in philosophy from Tufts University in 2001, and a MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2004. Outside of his clinical work and research, his main interests are in philosophy and public health. His interests in philosophy center on understanding the mind and mental illness, but also extend to an interest in Islamic thinkers and Sufism. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry.

Born in Tehran, Iran, he immigrated to the US at the age of 5 with his family and was raised in McLean, Virginia by his father Kamal Ghaemi MD, a neurosurgeon and neurologist, and his mother Guity Kamali Ghaemi, an art historian. A graduate of McLean High School (1984), he received a BA in history from George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia, 1986).

He is an active writer, and besides his books, he maintains two active blogs, and contributes posts or articles to other sites and magazines.

from http://www.nassirghaemi.com/(less)

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“The American Civil War lays out the stark contrast: the greatest generals in war are often abundant failures during peacetime, and vice versa. McClellan and Sherman are the sharpest contrasts; but there is also Grant the peacetime drunkard, and Stonewall Jackson the barely tolerable military professor. Only Lee stands out as effective in both peace and war (and even he had a mentally unstable father, and himself may have been dysthymic in his general personality). This conflict reflects, I think, the different psychological qualities of leadership needed in different phases of human activity, peace and war being the two extremes.” — 2 people liked it

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A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness

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