The Art of Fairness

The Power of Decency in a World Turned Mean

By: David Bodanis

Narrated by: Roger Davis

Can you succeed without being a terrible person? We often think not: recognising that, as the old saying has it, 'nice guys finish last'. But does that mean you have to go to the other extreme and be a bully or Machiavellian to get anything done?

In The Art of Fairness, David Bodanis uses thrilling historical case studies to show there's a better path, leading neatly in between. He reveals how it was fairness, applied with skill, that led the Empire State Building to be constructed in barely a year - and how the same techniques brought a quiet English debutante to become an acclaimed jungle guerrilla fighter. In 10 vivid profiles - featuring pilots, presidents and even the producer of Game of Thrones - we see that the path to greatness doesn't require crushing displays of power or tyrannical ego. Simple fair decency can prevail.

With surprising insights from across history - including the downfall of the very man who popularised the phrase 'nice guys finish last' - The Art of Fairness charts a refreshing and sustainable new approach to cultivating integrity and influence.

©2020 David Bodanis (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"David Bodanis is an enthralling storyteller. Prepare to be taken on a surprising, wide-ranging and ultimately inspiring journey to explore what makes us human." (Tim Harford)