People may choose to ignore their animal heritage by interpreting their behavior as divinely inspired, socially purposeful, or even self-serving, all of which they attribute to being human, but they masticate, fornicate, and procreate, much as chimps and apes do, so they should have little cause to get upset if they learn that they act like other primates when they politically agitate, debate, abdicate, placate, and administrate, too." -- from the book King of the Mountain presents the startling findings of Arnold M. Ludwig's eighteen-year investigation into why people want to rule. The answer may seem obvious -- power, privilege, and perks -- but any adequate answer also needs to explain why so many rulers cling to power even when they are miserable, trust nobody, feel besieged, and face almost certain death. Ludwig's results suggest that leaders of nations tend to act remarkably like monkeys and apes in the way they come to power, govern, and rule. Profiling every ruler of a recognized country in the twentieth century -- over 1,900 people in all--, Ludwig establishes how rulers came to power, how they lost power, the dangers they faced, and the odds of their being assassinated, committing suicide, or dying a natural death. Then, concentrating on a smaller sub-set of 377 rulers for whom more extensive personal information was available, he compares six different kinds of leaders, examining their characteristics, their childhoods, and their mental stability or instability to identify the main predictors of later political success. Ludwig's penetrating observations, though presented in a lighthearted and entertaining way, offer important insight into why humans have engaged in war throughout recorded history as well as suggesting how they might live together in peace.

With her professional credentials, Doctor Maria Donovan could have practiced anywhere. But she accepted a position in a Texas town bordering the Rio Grande River because of a desire to return to her childhood roots. Shortly after beginning her practice, she hospitalized a terrified, sixteen year old, Mexican girl, claiming Satan wanted to kill her. Though diagnosing the girl as psychotic, Maria could not dismiss the possibility of bewitchment. Shortly afterwards, because of certain mysterious happenings, Maria enters a nightmarish world where her life is in danger and little is what it seems. To survive, Maria must use all her cunning along with her gift of second sight.

Because Arthur Pendleton had been so successful in besmirching the reputation of a troublesome college President, Jonathon Jones, the founder of R.S.V.P., gave him the almost impossible assignment of making sure Reginald O. Bradley, a seeming shoo-in for Governor, did not get elected to office. Bradley, who was planning an entire overhaul of higher education, was an especially formidable adversary because of one important attribute. Whatever charisma was, he had IT: IT, being the ineffable quality, the ineluctable aura, the essence of presence, or, at a less abstruse level, the ability to succeed without brains. He also had the backing of Frank Venale, one of the most notorious mobsters in Massachusetts. In taking on this assignment, Arthur had to use all his ingenuity and resourcefulness to defeat his seemingly invincible foe. Only he was in for a number of surprises.

Larry Olson, a twenty-two years old conscientious objector, is sentenced by his draft board during the Viet Nam war to spend two years of alternative service on the back ward of a mental hospital. At odds with his family, country and himself, he dreads working there. Then, on his first day, he learns the chronic schizophrenics pose less danger to him than certain "sane" staff members. To complicate matters, Larry soon gets drawn into a nasty power struggle between the ward psychiatrist and psychologist, who espouse different forms of treatment. He also becomes entangled in a thorny, romantic relationship with Rhonda, an aide, which forces him to face his sexual hang-ups. Meanwhile, the ward becomes unmanageable for no apparent reason. Even high doses of tranquilizers fail to quell the violence and sexual activity among patients. Larry eventually figures out the cause for these mysterious happenings. In the process, he also succeeds in putting his own demons to rest.

Phillip Coffin, the legendary Dean of the Benjamin Franklin Medical School, harbors a secret that plagues him in his dreams and feeds his insecurities. Nick Ware=s implacable animosity towards him seems fueled by jealousy over the close relationship Coffin enjoys with the Chair of Internal Medicine. Over the course of their struggle, Ware, emboldened by the discovery of Coffin's secret, conspires to schedule an unauthorized meeting of his fellow chairpersons for a no-confidence vote on the Dean. The multiple subplots tell how the personal and professional lives of these chairpersons dovetail to influence which of these two antagonists they will back. The surprising fallout from this climactic showdown between the Dean and his Chair of Surgery will profoundly alter the lives and careers of all participants in this drama. Mount Aesculapius is more than a suspenseful tale about an ongoing power struggle between two respected physicians, echoing one that took place between their predecessors more than two centuries ago. It is an epic story depicting the world of a modern academic medical center, with its diverse inhabitants, vested interests and moral concerns.

In this groundbreaking book, Arnold M. Ludwig--a doctor with over twenty-five years of experience working with alcoholics--penetrates the minds of alcoholics in order to explain the behaviors and thought processes they use to get and stay sober. He has worked with over one thousand alcoholics from all walks of life and within many different settings, including hospital clinics, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, detoxification centers, and private homes. Using clinical vignettes, research findings, and personal anecdotes, he documents the basic principles necessary for conquering craving and achieving recovery.

Exploring the lives and achievements of over 1,000 extraordinary men and women, this book offers answers to the age-old questions about the relationship between mental illness and greatness, and also reveals factors that predict creative achievement. The book is filled with colorful stories about many of the most eminent artists, scientists, social activists, politicians, soldiers, and business people of our time. Moving beyond anecdotal accounts, The Price of Greatness is based on over 10 years of original scientific research on major 20th-century figures. Delving into many of humankind's greatest achievements and the special attributes and backgrounds of those who accomplished them, this illuminating work will interest anyone who wants to know why some people achieve fame - and what price they may pay in the process.

People may choose to ignore their animal heritage by interpreting their behavior as divinely inspired, socially purposeful, or even self-serving, all of which they attribute to being human, but they masticate, fornicate, and procreate, much as chimps and apes do, so they should have little cause to get upset if they learn that they act like other primates when they politically agitate, debate, abdicate, placate, and administrate, too." -- from the book King of the Mountain presents the startling findings of Arnold M. Ludwig's eighteen-year investigation into why people want to rule. The answer may seem obvious -- power, privilege, and perks -- but any adequate answer also needs to explain why so many rulers cling to power even when they are miserable, trust nobody, feel besieged, and face almost certain death. Ludwig's results suggest that leaders of nations tend to act remarkably like monkeys and apes in the way they come to power, govern, and rule. Profiling every ruler of a recognized country in the twentieth century -- over 1,900 people in all--, Ludwig establishes how rulers came to power, how they lost power, the dangers they faced, and the odds of their being assassinated, committing suicide, or dying a natural death. Then, concentrating on a smaller sub-set of 377 rulers for whom more extensive personal information was available, he compares six different kinds of leaders, examining their characteristics, their childhoods, and their mental stability or instability to identify the main predictors of later political success. Ludwig's penetrating observations, though presented in a lighthearted and entertaining way, offer important insight into why humans have engaged in war throughout recorded history as well as suggesting how they might live together in peace.