Profiles in Folly is a historical book written by Alan Axelrod which is composed of many other true stories within the book itself, beginning with the Trojan War in "The Decision To Let Danger In", and ending with Hurricane Katrina in "The Decision to Stop Short of Leadership".

It is a follow-up book to Profiles in Audacity, and studies 35 of the worst mistakes in history.

Each mistake is told in story form and is designed to teach the reader lessons through Axelrod's opinion.

[1] The book is separated into six main parts,[2] all focusing on different decisions leaders made in their actions of folly.

There are a total of thirty-five mini stories within the entire book.