The 48 Laws of Power

by

Hardcover, 452 pages

English language

Published April 4, 1998 by Viking.

ISBN:
978-0-670-88146-8
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
39733201
ASIN:
0670881465
Goodreads:
760010

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4 stars (1 review)

In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum.

Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.

7 editions

reviewed The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Deep, rich, historical.

4 stars

Reportedly banned in some schools and prisons, so it goes.

This book has a chapter for each of the rules. Most of the rules you've likely heard before. Each presents with historical references to ancient Asian or European stories about then famous or important people and how they used or abused each rule. The author adds his interpretations and thoughts on each.

It's a pretty deep read, and has a ton of historical references to second/third level of people then.

Subjects

  • Power (Philosophy)
  • Control (Psychology)

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