What Shakespeare’s plays can teach us about modern-day politics  William Shakespeare understood power: what it is, how it works, how it is gained, and how it is lost.  In The Hollow Crown , Eliot A. Cohen reveals how the battling princes of Henry IV and scheming senators of Julius Caesar can teach us to better understand power and politics today. The White House, after all, is a court—with intrigue and conflict rivaling those on the Globe’s stage—as is an army, a business, or a university. And each court is full of driven characters, in all their ambition, cruelty, and humanity. Henry V ’s inspiring speeches reframe John F. Kennedy’s appeal, Richard III ’s wantonness illuminates Vladimir Putin’s brutality, and The Tempest ’s grace offers a window into the presidency of George Washington.  An original and incisive perspective, The Hollow Crown shows how Shakespeare’s works transform our understanding of the leaders who, for good or ill, make and rule our world.  “ The Hollow Crown  is a thoroughly readable and enjoyable survey of some of Shakespeare’s finest work… Cohen’s book will shed light on history and literature while provoking thought about how to read and how to operate today.”― Washington Examiner “A compelling new book.”― American Purpose “A book that will appeal to anyone who recognizes in Shakespeare’s casts of characters our common, complex humanity, necessarily political but not consummately so, usually not happily political, and not ever one-sidedly political, either.”― The Dispatch “An intriguing and compact volume that’s very much worth reading for Shakespeare aficionados and political junkies alike.”― The Liberal Patriot “Cohen’s compelling and powerful book, The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall , is a superb primer on Shakespeare, especially his perspective on human character and political power.”  ― Washington Diplomat “Lawyers and judges devote a lot of attention to literature, leadership and power, and for those inclined, Eliot Cohen’s recent book is highly recommended.”― Law.com “ The Hollow Crown effectively explores Shakespeare’s political insights into how leaders evolve… Cohen’s prose is also a delight.”― The US Army War College Quarterly “A thoughtful consideration of the complexities of power.”― Kirkus “In The Hollow Crown , Dr. Eliot A. Cohen blends his deep knowledge of Shakespeare with his decades of senior experience in public service and academia to produce a unique and compelling look at how Shakespeare’s themes about power and leadership continue to recur throughout history. Whether looking at unchecked ambition and the corrupting nature of power seen in Macbeth and Richard III, the manipulation and deception of Iago, or the integrity and moral clarity of Brutus, Dr. Cohen finds striking parallels throughout different chapters of American and world history. Cohen is one of the rare people who (like Hamlet) can rightly claim to be a man of thought and a man of action. Few can match his remarkable career chapters of public official, historian, writer, and educator. He is now bringing all those experiences together to reflect as Shakespeare did on the nature of power—how it can be used for good, how it can corrupt, and how it can be fragile and transient. Seeing the Civil War, World War II, and the war in Ukraine through the Shakespearean lens provided by Cohen is both illuminating and educational, as is considering how Vladimir Putin’s utter lack of a moral center is not unlike Richard III. Readers who love literature and history will love this book.”― General James Mattis, former United States secretary of defense “A terrific book by a thoughtful, articulate, and exceptional teacher-practitioner. In government and out, Cohen has consistently been one of the shrewdest observers of the exercise of power, and now we know one reason why: his mastery of Shakespeare.  The Hollow Crown is a great read that is as instructive as it is enjoyable.”― David H. Petraeus, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency “The acquisition, holding, and loss of power in every realm of life are subjects of enduring fascination, most especially to William Shakespeare. Cohen, no stranger to power himself, in The Hollow Crown has written a remarkable book delving into Shakespeare’s unique insights into the psyche and arts—dark and otherwise—of those who wield power. Cohen brings his own perspective to the lessons Shakespeare offers about leadership for our own age, above all, ‘the preeminent importance of character in all of its complexity.’ The Hollow Crown is a must-read for self-understanding by all who seek or hold power and for those who seek insight about them from the greatest observer of human nature in the English language.”― Robert M. Gates, former United States secretary of defense “Cohen has come up with a genius idea for an entirely original book on leadership. Drawing on his encyclopaedic knowledge of Sh