According to John Gartner, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School, the answer to this question is yes. Gartner is the first researcher to offer a credible biological and genetic theory that explains why some men and women are natural entrepreneurs, why Americans are truly different from other people, and why American business is unlike that of any other country.

In his new book, THE HYPOMANIC EDGE: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America , Gartner draws a correlation between hypomania and America's spirit of entrepreneurship, arguing that America's spectacular achievements, unique entrepreneurial character, and unmatched wealth are due to a high incidence of hypomania-a mild form of mania that produces elevated levels of energy, creativity, and risk-taking. This series of case histories takes you through five centuries of the "American entrepreneur" from Columbus discovering America to Craig Venter decoding the human genome. According to reviews, you'll never read the business pages in quite the same way after reading this book.