The lives loves and deaths of splendidly unreasonable inventors is a brilliant analysis of 30 inventors who changed the world. Coller argues that there are three basic personality types - Principal, Broker and Consultant – that dictate the potential for success in the arena of invention. Few people have the full package and failure results when an individual who excels in one area of competence attempts to become all things. Coller focuses on the people rather the inventions and the way in which they did or did not succeed in bringing their visions to fruition. Only historical figures are included, allowing Coller to examine the complete arc of their lives, from success to failure. Each of the stories, all of which are personal, colourful and packed with quirky nuggets of information, illustrates a particular aspect of the inventive personality.