This book describes the lives of 12 people born in Europe and North America during the Second World War. They became leading scholars on the development and prevention of violent human behavior. From the first to the last page, the book introduces contrasting life-stories and shows how their paths crossed to create a relatively unified body of knowledge on how human violence develops and possible prevention methods. The authors describe the similarities and differences in their family background, university training, theories, and collaborations. Not to mention how they differ in research methods, scientific conclusions, and their influence on the research published today. These comparisons celebrates the diversity of their experience and, in turn, their achievements. By knowing this, you can stand on the shoulders of these giants to look to the future of this subject and potentially contribute to its next steps.

'Edited by a world-leading authority, this one-of-a-kind volume is an invaluable resource for all scholars studying how violence develops early in life, and what we can do to stop that progression. Academic books are rarely page-turners, yet this one is. It is at once a heart-rending, educational, and fun read. It has my highest recommendation.'

Adrian Raine - Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania

'Here is a tale of hardship, resilience, and a series of lucky events. This is a fascinating account of the origins of violent behaviour and the beginnings of those who established the foundation of its study. This book is a tribute to mentorship and collaboration.'

Louise Arseneault - Professor of Developmental Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London

‘Recommended.’

C. J. Jones Source: Choice