Forged in Crisis

The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times

By: Nancy Koehn

Narrated by: Nancy Koehn

Length: 16 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

An enthralling historical narrative filled with critical leadership insights that will be of interest to a wide range of listeners - including those in government, business, education, and the arts - Forged in Crisis, by celebrated Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn, spotlights five masters of crisis: polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, President Abraham Lincoln, legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Nazi-resisting clergyman Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and environmental crusader Rachel Carson.

What do such disparate figures have in common? Why do their extraordinary stories continue to amaze and inspire? In delivering the answers to those questions, Nancy Koehn offers a remarkable template by which to judge those in our own time to whom the public has given its trust.

She begins each of the book's five sections by showing her protagonist on the precipice of a great crisis: Shackleton marooned on an Antarctic ice floe; Lincoln on the verge of seeing the Union collapse; escaped slave Douglass facing possible capture; Bonhoeffer agonizing over how to counter absolute evil with faith; Carson racing against the cancer ravaging her in a bid to save the planet. The narrative then reaches back to each person's childhood and shows the individual growing - step by step - into the person he or she will ultimately become. Significantly, as we follow each leader's against-all-odds journey, we begin to glean an essential truth: Leaders are not born but made. In a book dense with epiphanies, the most galvanizing one may be that the power to lead courageously resides in each of us.

Whether it's listened to as a repository of great insight or as exceptionally rendered human drama, Forged in Crisis stands as a towering achievement.

©2017 Nancy Koehn (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Authors are not always the best narrators

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Listen to the available selection first before buying the book. If you don't enjoy the narrator's voice, don't buy it. I liked the text, but not the narration. Sorry, but not every author has a pleasant speaking voice.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forged in Crisis?

Shackleton's rescue of all his men, including the last group, who had given up hope.

Would you be willing to try another one of Nancy Koehn’s performances?

No way.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. The five separate components each made for an interesting history.

Kind of falls flat

I was really disappointed with this book. Each profile reads like an undergraduate research paper. The leadership lessons seem artificially tied together. In fact this isn't a leadership book at all, it's more like five Wikipedia articles put together in book form.

5 Great Stories

Well written, and spoken. Seems well researched too. From a Harvard historian who spent years completing it.

A great story and guide

This book was interesting as a well written and informative account of history. But it also was a how to guide on leadership. It’s an excellent book!

Was hoping for a bit more in-depth conclusion

I truly appreciated Forged in Crisis and was somewhat let down with the conclusion as I was hoping for more analysis on our current leaders and how they mirror or not some of the traits you highlighted in the book.

Timely Lessons to relearn

For those who think they already know these basic tenants of leadership, this is an engaging insightful multi-faceted review of lessons and reminders of what it takes to lead. More important, the author points to the humanity required to be a true leader who lives their core values. An easy listen. Engrossing. A fine voice

Leadership 101

Loved the stories. A diverse set of leaders. I enjoyed the summary at the end and the reminder of the main points to take home.

Great Book

what a great book. A beautiful and artistically designed analyses of personalities, similarities among the historical subjects and challenges.

interesting subjects if you can focus

the narration was dry and monotone and although I was interested in the stories I eventually gave up on the book.

A very good book!

I always enjoyed listening to Nancy Koehn on WGBH with Jim and Marjorie. This book is a culmination of years of enjoying her work and theirs. Well worth the time!