Twelve Against the Gods

First published in 1929, William Bolitho’s book profiles twelve figures who refused to live by the ordinary rules, among them Alexander the Great, Columbus, Casanova, Napoleon, and Woodrow Wilson. Bolitho’s argument is that the true adventurer is an outlaw against the settled order, and that society both needs and punishes such people. Long out of print, it became a cult object after Elon Musk named it as a favorite in 2016, sending used copies briefly soaring in price before a reissue brought it back.