Hannibal and Me

The life of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps with his army in 218 BCE, is the stuff of legend. And the epic choices he and his Roman enemies made on the battlefield and in life offer timeless lessons to us today about how we should respond to our own victories and defeats. Inspired by ancient history, Hannibal and Me explores the triumphs and disasters in our lives by examining the decisions made by Hannibal and others, including Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Steve Jobs, Ernest Shackleton, and Paul Cézanne. Kluth shows why some overcome failure and others succumb to it, and why some fall victim to success while others thrive on it. The result is a page-turning adventure tale, a compelling human drama, and an insightful guide to understanding behavior.“Andreas Kluth’s absorbing exploration of the life of the great military commander Hannibal will inspire you to look beyond simplistic notions of success toward a deeper understanding of what it is to live the good life. This is a book full of lessons both profound and practical.”
—Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

“A serious and fascinating exploration of issues many of us grapple with on a daily basis.”
—New York Journal of Books

“A startlingly fresh outlook on an old mystery.”
—Patrick Hunt, Electrum Magazine

“Fascinating.”
—Los Angeles Magazine

“Kluth does superior work in spelling out the elusive values of success and failure…Realistic and timely, Kluth’s book uses historic truths to move us past the frequent traps of success and failure to mold practical, productive lives.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A study of the ephemeral nature of power that grapples, often very effectively, with the meaning of true happiness…Hannibal and Me is a rare blend of military strategy and emotional intelligence that offers a more mature solution for winning life's battles.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“[Hannibal and Me’s] fresh perspective, drawing on the life of a warrior who lived more than two millennia ago, gives it a fresh appeal.”

—Booklist

Andreas Kluth has been writing for The Economist since 1997. A dual citizen of Germany and the United States, Kluth is a graduate of Williams College and the London School of Economics and currently lives in Berlin.