Part 1, Chapters 1-11 Summary and Analysis

Chapter one, "Alexander the Great and Heroic Leadership,," begins with Keegan comparing Alexander to Napoleon, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Prince Charles, Hitler and others. While all of those military leaders made great strides and accomplishments throughout their careers, none can match Alexander the Great. Even those that came close had the benefit of tools and information not available to the Macedonian that covered several continents beginning at age sixteen.

Chapter two, "Alexander: The Father of the Man", covers Alexander's birth in July 365 BC. Alexander was the eldest son of Philip II of Macedonia and Olympias. Although Philip had other children, they were illegitimate and Philip never married the mothers, rendering any claims to the throne.

Philip was a physically intense man. Philip had been married three times by the time he married OIympias and would marry...