There is no "great man theory" but only a "great men's theory."

I've been reading the book "The Great Man Theory of History" by Frank Tannenbaum. And while the title is a bit misleading, I think this is what the author was getting at. <br><br>The book is essentially a study of great men in history and their contributions. However, the author goes into detail about their life experiences and upbringing, how these experiences shaped their lives and led them to greatness. The author points out that some people, who under normal circumstances, might have become great men, did not, because they were denied these experiences. <br><br>The book does not make a case for some sort of divine or innate ability that some people are born with that makes them great. The book is more about the idea that only certain people get the chance to experience the things that shape them into great men. The book does not argue that anyone can become great, but only that the chance to become great is only offered to a select few, who have the right set of experiences, and are therefore predisposed to greatness.