David Gergen at the Brattle Theatre

Harvard Book Store welcomes DAVID GERGEN—CNN senior political analyst and former White House adviser to Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton—for a discussion of his new book Hearts Touched With Fire: How Great Leaders are Made.

A Return to In-Person Events

Harvard Book Store is excited to re-introduce in-person programming this season, beginning this March. To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone in attendance, the following Covid-19 safety protocols will be in place at all of our Brattle Theatre events until further notice:

• Face coverings are required of all staff and attendees when inside the venue. Masks must snugly cover nose and mouth. At venues where refreshments are served, attendees may briefly unmask when actively eating or drinking.

For the time being, we will not be holding author signings at these events, in order to limit close contact. When possible, we will have pre-signed books available for purchase on-site.

Ticketing

There are two ticket options for this event.

Book-Included Ticket: Includes admission for one and one copy of Hearts Touched with Fire.

Admission-Only Ticket: Includes admission for one.

About Hearts Touched With Fire

As nations careen from one crisis to the next, there is a growing cry for fresh leadership. Those in charge have repeatedly fallen short, and trust in institutions has plummeted. So, what does great leadership look like? And how are great leaders made?

David Gergen, a leader in the public arena for more than half a century, draws from his experiences as a White House adviser to four presidents, his decades as a trusted voice on national issues, and years of teaching and mentoring young people to offer a stirring playbook for the next generation of change-makers.

To uncover the fundamental elements of effective leadership, Gergen traces the journeys of iconic leaders past and present, from pathbreakers like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis, John McCain, and Harvey Milk to historic icons like Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, to contemporary game changers like Greta Thunberg, the Parkland students, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Leadership is a journey that starts from within, Gergen writes. A leader must become self-aware and then achieve self-mastery. You cannot lead others until you can lead yourself. As you start to leap into the world, you begin your outer journey, overcoming setbacks, persuading others, empowering them, and navigating crises—armed a sense of history, humor, passion, and purpose.

By linking lessons of the past with the ever-changing practice of leadership today, Gergen reveals the time-tested secrets of dynamic leadership. An indispensable manual, Hearts Touched With Fire distills experience and wisdom of the past into an invaluable guide for leaders of our future.

Praise for Hearts Touched With Fire

“A clarion call for lives dedicated to service and leadership, offering sage lessons and a unique perspective borne of Gergen’s own heralded half-century career in the public arena. Now is the moment for this vital and compelling work.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of Leadership: In Turbulent Times

“Blending passion and wisdom, David Gergen delivers an inspired call and practical guide—a written form of mentorship—for those with decades of life in leadership yet to give.” —Jim Collins, author Good to Great

“A must read for any American, young or old, who wants our country to live up to its promise. Hearts Touched With Fire is an honest, heartening owner’s manual, one that can shape fresh leaders to guide this experiment we call America. For those who wish to lead the change and restore confidence in America, this invaluable book is the roadmap.” —General Jim Mattis, U.S. Marines (ret.) & 26th Secretary of Defense