In Before They Changed the World, historian Edwin Kiester Jr. reveals key events that shaped the lives of 22 of history's most authoritative figures. Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and other extraordinary leaders and revolutionaries are generally revered for what they did while at the top of their game. This book details what these remarkable people were like before their were famous, and what it was that shaped their paths to greatness. What drives a fifteenth-century French teenager to wage war against the English army? Why does a novice U.S. president take on the institution of slavery? And how does a Swiss Patent Office worker discover that E=MC 2? Before They Changed the World provides the answers. Included in the book are timelines highlighting key points in the lives of each figure and more than 90 archival images gathered from around the world. Learn what kinds of events can lead to greatness in Before They Changed the World.

Author Biography

Edwin Kiester Jr. has written more than 2,000 magazine articles and twelve books on subjects ranging from science to history. His most recent books are An Incomplete History of World War I and An Incomplete History of World War II. He is a staff writer for Smithsonian magazine.