The reasons have multiplied, the theories have flourished, yet our societies are not doing very well... And many say that when it comes to the common Good (the Sum of individual Ethics, that is), only Example can change us: Because it possesses persuasiveness (it is about actions, not about idle talk) and also functions as a Symbol (short-circuiting the vast distance between the understood and the existing).

Do you remember when (as children) we came out of the cinema, how we unconsciously walked like the protagonist? Or how tenderly we looked at the disabled with the gaze of Charlie Chaplin. But the living examples around us have diminished: As cities and the rhythm of life have grown, we do not easily see before us the “Imitable,” and the media do not always have an interest in highlighting the exemplary – they showcase the easy-to-imitate!

This need for Examples leads us towards Historical Personalities, whose lives can become a Lesson for our own life. Thus, in this book, a Philosopher (Socrates), a Musician (Mozart), a Scientist and Politician (Franklin), a Revolutionary Prince (Volkonsky), and a tragic Writer (Kazantzakis) have been selected. Their dedication to high purposes, their love for Humanity, and their endurance to the hardships of life may resonate within us...