The 48 Laws of Power

Robert Greene

Sept 2000 · Sold by Penguin

About this eBook

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature

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.

Ratings and reviews

Half of you write on here like your experts of some sort. This author itself is perhaps one of the very best we have ever seen in existence. This book teaches you many things, wise things, positive but also negative things. Things, let me me rephrase that.... Tools we need in today's modern world. As this book goes back to before Christ times to the Roman empire, thru the 1960s when John Gotti ruled the streets with nothing but ruthlessness and fear. Harry Houdini and his outmasterous tricks while fooling everyone, and of course the great Julius Caesar and his incredible reign. Plus and such a treat, this book breaks down each law, also telling stories about the great courteé Nepoleon & of course stories and phrases about the great philosopher Nicolló Machiavelli. Incredible, incredible book this is. My favorite thus far. ( Not allowed in state penitentiaries though) they consider it a weapon.

People are complaining about what this book teaches but they fail to understand that by the time you can read a book like this you've more likely already lived through countless people like the book itself. In my opinion knowledge is power and it never hurts to know and understand. What you learn you can use for the greater good to avoid these people this book teaches. Robert Greene is an awesome writer. Its not just butterflies on this planet. Read this book and be aware of those walking among us and the tactics they use to deceive us. I didn't read the book in hopes that I will learn to deceive. I read the book and instantly remembered moments of people i knew used things against. Maybe if I would of read it sooner I would of understood what their plan was or why they would do things a certain way. Great read. Thankyou ❤️🍺

Reading the sample—looks like "Common Sense: the Book". In seriousness, I already disagree with a few fundamental statements, like "Never waste valuable time... ...on the affairs of others". It seems small-minded to me that the satisfaction or morale (or even optics, ooo) you can get through altruistic acts is entirely meaningless. Does anyone else just feel genuinely good after helping someone else out? I see nothing wrong with it, if the expense isn't too great.

About the author

Robert Greene, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, The 33 Strategies of War, The Art of Seduction, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature, is an internationally renowned expert on power strategies. He lives in Los Angeles.

Joost Elffers is the packaging genius behind Viking Studio's Secret Language series, Play with Your Food, and How Are You Peeling?. He lives in New York City.