SKU: 73662033637

How to Be a Bad Emperor: An Ancient Guide to Truly Terrible Leaders

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How to Be a Bad Emperor: An Ancient Guide to Truly Terrible LeadersWhat would Caligula do? What the worst Roman emperors can teach us about how not to lead If recent history has taught us anything, it's that sometimes the best guide to leadership is the negative example. But that insight is hardly new. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Suetonius wrote Lives of the Caesars, perhaps the greatest negative leadership book of all time. He was ideally suited to write about terrible political leaders; after all, he was also the

What would Caligula do? What the worst Roman emperors can teach us about how not to lead

If recent history has taught us anything, it's that sometimes the best guide to leadership is the negative example. But that insight is hardly new. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Suetonius wrote Lives of the Caesars, perhaps the greatest negative leadership book of all time. He was ideally suited to write about terrible political leaders; after all, he was also the author of Famous Prostitutes and Words of Insult, both sadly lost. In How to Be a Bad Emperor, Josiah Osgood provides crisp new translations of Suetonius's briskly paced, darkly comic biographies of the Roman emperors Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero. Entertaining and shocking, the stories of these ancient anti-role models show how power inflames leaders' worst tendencies, causing almost incalculable damage.

Complete with an introduction and the original Latin on facing pages, How to Be a Bad Emperor is both a gleeful romp through some of the nastiest bits of Roman history and a perceptive account of leadership gone monstrously awry. We meet Caesar, using his aunt's funeral to brag about his descent from gods and kings--and hiding his bald head with a comb-over and a laurel crown; Tiberius, neglecting public affairs in favor of wine, perverse sex, tortures, and executions; the insomniac sadist Caligula, flaunting his skill at cruel put-downs; and the matricide Nero, indulging his mania for public performance.

In a world bristling with strongmen eager to cast themselves as the Caesars of our day, How to Be a Bad Emperor is a delightfully enlightening guide to the dangers of power without character.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 02/04/2020
ISBN: 9780691193991
Pages: 312
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 6.90h x 4.70w x 1.20d
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SKU: 73662033637

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★★★★★ 5
Vendor support is excellent
Color: 7-in-1 Black, Size: Rechargeable Set
UPDATE 2: The vendor proactively reached out to me and sent me a replacement. The replacement works well so I’ve given them 5 Stars. UPDATE: It really doesn’t ever go in straight so every cork is at risk for breaking off. I lowered rating to two. It ultimately works about 85% of the time. Meh. Works most of the time, but has issues. It wrecks corks much more often than the Brookstone one we had before. It seems to twist in sideways so that it runs along the glass of the bottle neck instead of straight down. This causes it to destroy the corks fairly frequently… and on occasion it destroys it so much that you can’t get the cork out at all. Pros: Quiet Has the bottle sealers and suction. Recharges on base. Cons: Damages corks Sometimes destroys corks to point of not being able to extract them. Goes in crooked.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2026
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Great for any wine drinker
Color: 7-in-1 Black, Size: Rechargeable Set
This is really neat and works well. Easy to charge, but read the directions first, and great value. If you like wine, this is a great product.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2026
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Anthony M
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Great value and works well
Color: 7-in-1 Black, Size: Rechargeable Set
I wasn’t sure this would compare to the name brand one I’ve had for years but it finally died and I needed a replacement. The Circle Joy amazed me with how easily it removes corks, ejects the cork and vacuum seals the bottle when you’re done. Some reviews mentioned they were concerned with durability but it’s still working great and no signs of wear after two months of regular use.
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Dr Gus
Lake Worth, US
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Great value and does the job admirably.
Color: 7-in-1 Black, Size: Rechargeable Set
I have been using this for several months now. Still haven't needed a charge. Love the little knife to remove cover from cork. Love the decanting attachment. Removes cork easily without much noise and then spits it out. Excellent value. Highly recommend.
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Easy to operate.
Color: Black/Battery
Very easy to operate. I was a little confused on how it operated but all I had to do is sit it on top of the can and it operates by itself. When it is done, the lid can be removed or set on top of the can. It doesn't leave any sharp edges. I was using a hand held one but because I have arthritis in my wrist, it is worth the price easy enough for seniors or disabled
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2026

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