Title: The 48 Laws of Power
Author: Greene, Robert
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 452
Date Read: 04 July 2019
Bookshelves: read, favorites
My Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
An absolute masterpiece that draws wisdom from the folly and successes of history.
You see, many things were indeed remarkable about this book but what stood out for me was the way the author structured its content. First, he makes you realise why reading his book is a matter of compulsion by arguing that each and every one of us craves power whether in tacit and overt forms.
He then goes further, to explore the laws, one at a time, explaining the defeat that came upon those who transgressed the laws and the successes that greeted those that obeyed them. Save for a few of the laws, Greene made sure to dedicate a paragraph or two to reversals of these laws; perhaps to make the reader aware of the nuances that come with their application.
I loved that Greene’s examples were neither personal nor contemporary but strictly historical. And I genuinely appreciate the direct quotes from Machiavelli’s The Prince and from the philosophy of Baltasar Gracian.
If Power is your religion, let Robert Greene be your prophet, and this book–your bible