Abraham N. Joseph - Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation

As I note in Chapter VIII, 80 percent of all books sold in the US today are published by just 5 multinational corporations.

This makes book publishing in smaller concerns an increasingly difficult challenge. If you find anything remarkable in these pages, please consider writing a review at your favorite on-line book retailers.

And thank you for opening this book. I think you will find it well worth the time to read.

Joseph N. Abraham MD

Ive always believed society to be a fundamentally rational thing, but what if it wasnt? What if it was built on insanity?

Jon Ronson, The Psychopath Test

Its always easier to turn away from the horrors of history, but Abraham forces us to look, and look carefully. Using wide-ranging research and an unflinching eye for detail, he reminds us that its only through the stories of the past that we can understand where weve come from, what weve become, and how we can even hope to effect change.

Candice Millard, New York Times best-selling author of The River of Doubt and the Edgar Award-winning Destiny of the Republic

The term must-read has been so overused. But Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths is a must-read must-own and, most of all, a must-ponder.

San Diego Jewish World

Psychiatrists are known for their ability to see what is covertly behind the overt words. Though his name is not mentioned, I could see that the title of this timely book could be: Kings, Conquerors, Trumps !

H. Steven Moffic, MD, only recipient of the designation Hero of Public Psychiatry by the American Psychiatric Association; Editorial Board, Psychiatric Times ; author, Psychiatry, a Problem-Oriented Approach ; Psychiatry and Ethics ; co-author, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump

This book is a must-read for all of us who think we know what is going on and how to read the electorate. I believe that this book will stand the test of time and scrutiny.

Carol Beggy, former writer, Boston Globe ; co-author with Bill Brett of the award-winning Boston book series; co-author of Ted Kennedy: Scenes from an Epic Life

Abraham makes an insightful, novel argument based on both a keen clinical eye, and an exhaustive review of the literature, for understanding the historical and genetic roots of this problem, and why we should be aware of the potential dictators all around us.

James Fallon, Sloan Scholar, Senior Fullbright Fellow, NIH Career Awardee, UCI Medical School Professor Emeritus, The Psychopath Inside

If you are at all interested in politics and in the future of our country and, indeed, the future of mankind, this may be the most important book you will ever read.

Robin Levin, The Death of Carthage

Abrahams survey of the ways in which power is attained, exercised, and often mythologized throughout human history serve as a stark reminder of how fragile and vulnerable to exploitation our modern democratic societies are, and how important it is for all of us to educate ourselves and our fellow citizens to sustain and improve the all-to-human structures and systems required for effective self-governance.

Michael Pearson, CEO, Mathematical Association of America

A detailed and engaging examination of our haunted past and threatening future. Read it and weep.

John Mack Faragher, Howard R. Lamar Professor Emeritus, Yale University, Daniel Boone ; A Great and Noble Scheme ; and The American Heritage Encyclopedia of American History

Dr. Abraham provides unique and important insights for our world at large. This book is a must-read for any American concerned about the future of our society.

Jim Engster, NPR affiliate WRKF , Baton Rouge

[Abrahams perspective is] fascinating and frightening not just as an explanation to understanding the people who have transformed mankind, but what it portends for the future, which just might not be so kind.

Steven Sabludowsy, BayouBuzz.com

[Abraham] convincingly makes (and documents) the case that despite often romantic images, kings and conquerors were vicious criminals and the fact that they were psychopaths, narcissists, and sadists became whitewashed, almost in a form of mass hypnosis.

Joe Gandelman, TheModerateVoice.com

Abraham paints fascinating (if very dark) portraits of the worst of humanity, and tries to answer that most important of questions why does society give power to despots and demagogues?

New Generation Indie Book Awards : Winner, Current Events/Social Change; Finalist, Historical Non-Fiction

Abraham reviews the historical precedent for accepting corruption and violence from our authorities. Why do we excuse an act, unforgivable if committed by an ordinary citizen, if executed or ordered by a leader?

Sam Rizak, A Privileged Violence, The Los Angeles Review of Books

A conversation with Dr. Joe Abraham engages by linking disparate and (seemingly) unrelated events into a coherent whole that exposes new facets of interpretation and analysis. For those who want their minds expanded and blown: Dr. Abraham is the man.

Pearson Cross, Bayou to Beltway , NPR affiliate KRVS , Lafayette, Louisiana

In 10 chapters, Abraham traces the last 10,000 years, from the era of kings and conquerors to the modern world and its own ugly truths.

New Orleans Times-Picayune

[Abraham] provides insight into historical patterns of power and dominance at all levels of government, religion and corporate existence.

Baton Rouge Morning Advocate

Detailed, engaging, and provocative examination of our shared history.

Marcus Hedahl, United States Naval Academy

I felt like I was reading something during the Crusades or a thousand years before, but I think thats one thing over and over again you feel when youre reading this book: you begin in far-away history, but you begin to realize that it comes so close to our present day.

Judith Meriwether, Apres-Midi , NPR affiliate KRVS , Lafayette, Louisiana

Dr. Abrahams book offers a new lens from which to see how so-called leaders move into positions of authority and power.

Alejandro Rodriguez, UT-Arlington

a fascinating interview of powerful conquerors throughout the past 10,000 years a great insight into historical patterns of power and dominance at all levels of government, religion and corporate existence.

Attorney Jan Swift, Discover Lafayette

Cover design by Eleanor Rene Rogers

2020 Joseph N. Abraham
Published by Hidden Hills Press
All rights reserved
ISBN 13 (paper): 978-0-578-68059-0

First edition printed September 2018 by University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press

For Pretty Lady,
Son,
and Pretty Girl