Perhaps that is the essence of leadership – all the qualities that endear one person to another, such as empathy, attractiveness, grace, power and, finally and most importantly, a willingness to sacrifice, to become an emblem, to become heroic or tragic and to lead others, regardless of the cost.

The leaders that are remembered by history both define the world they live in and change that world forever. Whether their leadership is inspirational, innovative, decisive or ultimately destructive, we have a lot to learn from the lives and achievements of the eclectic group of people featured in this wonderful book.

Leaders Who Changed the World is a collection of 50 of the most important politicians, pop culture icons and social innovators of the past 100 years. Each of the people featured in this book changed the world... either for better or for worse. This book taps into Cooper’s love of history and our general fascination with fame, fortune and mortality.