Review Detail

Why does a county have a president, a totalitarian rule, a king, or something else in between? A tricky question, seemingly unique with every chapter of history, yet this book takes a shot at giving a general answer, as well as some specific examples. No, it's not all about how to become the president of the United States (although there is a feature page on the hallmark US checks and balances), and the material takes a spin around the globe, stopping most often in Europe, but also in South America and Asia.

Topics include famous leaders in history, types of monarchies, how to become a president or chancellor or supreme leader (perhaps a nice way to say emperor or dictator), and how a country decides which kind of leader to have. Apart from brief bios, the history element is kept light in favor of focusing on the definitions and ideal roles that accompany types of leaders. This book keeps a balanced view, offering facts without judgements. Some topics, such as leadership that puts power in the hands of a single individual, can easily lead to further conversation about history or current events. But throughout, there's a positive message that as the world continues to grow and change, informed, thoughtful leaders will be needed to guide the way, and that future leader could be you.

Compared to some of the other "How do..." books, this volume leans toward denser text. Understandably, given that history and government lends itself to more descriptions than fast facts or diagrams.