An excellent book written by
Robert Greene and designed by
Joost Elffers on the nature of
power and methods of getting power. I find it more entertaining and useful than
Machiavelli. Each
law is illustrated with examples from
history and
literature; even reversals of the law. The book is beautifully laid out in black and red, emphasizing the message of the text. I strongly recommend purchasing it -- it is an unsettling, and possibly very useful read. Practicing the laws involves being a
right bastard.
The laws are as follows:
- Never Outshine the Master
- Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies
- Conceal Your Intentions
- Always Say Less Than Necessary
- So Much Depends On Reputation -- Guard It With Your Life
- Court Attention At All Costs
- Get Others To Do The Work For You, But Always Take The Credit
- Make Other People Come To You -- Use Bait If Necessary
- Win Through Your Actions, Never Through An Argument
- Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and the Unlucky
- Learn to Keep People Dependent on You
- Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victim
- When Asking for Help, Appeal to People's Self-Interest, Never Their Mercy or Gratitude
- Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy
- Crush Your Enemy Totally
- Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor
- Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability
- Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself -- Isolation is Dangerous
- Know who you are Dealing With -- Do Not Offend the Wrong Person
- Do Not Commit to Anyone
- Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker -- Seem Dumber Than Your Mark
- Use the Surrender Tactic -- Turn Weakness Into Power
- Concentrate Your Forces
- Play the Perfect Courtier
- Re-Create Yourself
- Keep Your Hands Clean
- Play on People's Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following
- Enter Action with Boldness
- Plan All the Way to the End
- Make Your Accomplishments Seem Effortless
- Control The Options: Get Others to Play With the Cards You Deal
- Play to People's Fantasies
- Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew
- Be Royal In Your Own Fashion: Act Like a King and be Treated Like One
- Master the Art of Timing
- Disdain Things You Cannot Have: Ignoring Them is the Best Revenge
- Create Compelling Spectacles
- Think as You Like but Behave Like Others
- Stir Up Waters to Catch Fish
- Despise the Free Lunch
- Avoid Stepping Into a Great Man's Shoes
- Strike the Sheperd and the Sheep Will Scatter
- Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others
- Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect
- Preach the Need for Change, But Never Reform too Much at Once
- Never Appear too Perfect
- Do Not Go Past the Mark You Aimed For; In Victory, Learn When to Stop
- Assume Formlessness
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