In this interview-book based on an oral history conducted by Daniel Hartwig of Stanford University, the prominent Italian-American psychologist Philip Zimbardo recounts his life story, from his childhood spent mostly in the Bronx to his professional success and international renown. His anecdote-rich account gives readers the chance to observe an important part of the history of psychology unfolding up close (and from a unique viewpoint). Shrewd interventions by the interviewer lead to reflections on both the political and social climate in which Zimbardo pursued his career, and on the significance of various studies that would later become internationally relevant (think, for example, of recent controversy regarding the Stanford Prison Experiment).

It represents an opportunity to show that Zimbardo’s thinking and theories cannot be reduced to that single experience but have a broader scope. The interview also traces the genesis and development of his Time Perspective Theory and analyses Zimbardo’s most recent projects, including the Heroic Imagination Project.

The lively and engaging text sheds light on the different sides of a multifaceted man who, as well as having made a key contribution to contemporary psychology, has always fought against discrimination and violence.