Brian Klaas – författare

An Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far 2024A Waterstones Best Book of 2024One of Prospect''s Top Thinkers 2024''Utterly engrossing . . . Ambitious, accessible and important'' James O''Brien''Consistently gripping - dazzling in its sweep and thrillingly brain-twisting in its arguments'' Tom HollandA provocative new vision of how our world really works - and why chance determines everything. In Fluke, myth-shattering social scientist Brian Klaas deep-dives into the phenomenon of randomness, unpicking our neat and tidy storybook version of events to reveal a reality far wilder and more fascinating than we have dared to consider. The bewildering truth is that but for a few incidental changes, our lives - and our societies - would be radically different.Offering an entirely new perspective, Fluke explores how our world really works, driven by strange interactions and random events. How much difference does our decision to hit the snooze button make? Did one couple''s vacation really change the course of the twentieth century? What are the smallest accidents that have tilted the course of history itself? The mind-bending lessons of this phenomenon challenge our beliefs about the very workings of the world. From the evolution of human biology and natural disasters to the impact of global events on supply chain disruptions, every detail matters because of the web of connectivity that envelops us. So what if, by exploding our illusion of control, we can make better decisions and live happy, fulfilling lives?

''Illuminating . . . reveals why some people and systems are more likely to be corrupted by power than others'' - Adam Grant

''Passionate, insightful, and occasionally jaw-dropping . . . Corruptible sets out the story of the intoxicating lure of power-and how it has shaped the modern world'' - Peter Frankopan

''A brilliant exploration'' - Dan Snow

''Klaas is the rarest of finds: a political scientist who can also tell great stories. He mixes memorable anecdotes with stern analysis to tackle one of the biggest questions of all: do we have to be ruled by bad people?'' - Peter Pomerantsev

Does power corrupt or are corrupt people drawn to power?Are tyrants the products of bad systems or are they just bad people?And why do we give power to awful people?

In Corruptible, professor of global politics Brian Klaas draws on over 500 interviews with some of the world''s top leaders - from the noblest to the dirtiest - including presidents, war criminals, cult leaders, terrorists, psychopaths, and dictators to reveal the most surprising workings of power: how children can predict who is going to win an election based just on the faces of politicians; why narcissists make more money; what makes a certain species of bee more corrupt than others; whether a thirst for power is a genetic condition; and why being the second in command is in fact the smartest choice.

From scans of psychopathic brains, to the effects of power on monkey drug use, Klaas weaves cutting-edge research with astonishing encounters (including a ski lesson with the former viceroy of Iraq, tea with a former UK prime minister, and breakfast with Madagascar''s yogurt kingpin president). Written by the creator of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast, Corruptible challenges our basic assumptions about power, from the board room to the war room, and provides a roadmap for getting better leaders at every level.