The lives loves and deaths of splendidly unreasonable inventors is a brilliant analysis of 30 inventors who changed the world. Coller observes that personality type dictates the potential for success in bringing inventions to fruition. Few people have the full package of skills required to make a success of their idea 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. On one level The lives loves and deaths of splendidly unreasonable inventors is a collection of fascinating stories; on another level these stories provoke an unconventional look at the inventive process that created such life-changing products.