Product Description

The perfect gift book for the power hungry (and who doesn't want power?) at an excellent price. The Concise Edition of an international bestseller. At work, in relationships, on the street or on the 6 o'clock news: the 48 Laws apply everywhere. For anyone with an interest in conquest, self-defence, wealth, power or simply being an educated spectator, The 48 Laws of Power is one of the most useful and entertaining books ever. This book 'teaches you how to cheat, dissemble, feign, fight and advance your cause in the modern world.' (Independent on Sunday) The distilled wisdom of the masters - illustrated through the tactics, triumphs and failures from Elizabeth I to Henry Kissinger on how to get to the top and stay there. Wry, ironic and clever this is an indispensable and witty guide to power. The laws are now famous:- Law 1: Never outshine the master Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to use enemies Law 3: Conceal your intentions Law 4: Always say less than necessary Click here for the author's website.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6071 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-13
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction (both from Profile), has a degree in Classical Studies and has been an editor at Esquire and other magazines. He is also a playwright and lives in Los Angeles. Click here for his website.

Customer Reviews

Old rules for a new game
At first this book seems to be of more use in the previous two centuries, but with perserverance it really does have immense use in life today. Many of the laws do appear to go against being charitable and generous, but the authors are merely advising to be cautious about who your friends are, sound advice even today. I love the use of fables and parables, many of which have been handed down through the ages and stood the test of time.
I would recommend this book to the reader who wants a huge "leg up" in the business world, and who wants to be indispensable in a disposable world.

Fantastic for it's purpose
I can't really fault the book at all.

Robert Greene has established 48 laws of power, and they are all very interesting, powerful and fact based. Throughout the book I feel as if Robert knows completely what he's saying and he's done acres of research.

This book however, is to be taken very carefully. It doesn't seem as if he has written the book to any moral guidelines. If books can have age restrictions on a person buying them, I would definately give this one an 18. I could definately see someone young, greedy or just suggestable individual obsessing over the book and becoming a pretty immoral person. I believe it takes a certain level of maturity and moral understanding to be aquired in order to not abuse information in the book.

The 48 laws of power, generally focuses around methods you can use and themes you can engrain into your personality, in order to get things. Whilst the book is absolutely brilliant at delivering this, the fact is that if everyone applied all the laws to themselves (or even just a handful), the world would be almost at a standstill... as an example one of the rules is to "Get others to do work for you but always take the credit" - is this really a mode people should follow for the good of the world? If everyone was doing that, there would be no work to take credit for and economies would halt. Imagine a planet full of conmen, what a great place to live that would be... hmmm... not.

Robert Green indicates some key resources he's used and one to mention is the famous "The art of war by sun tzu" - I believe Robert is extremely interested in books like these and he's only gone and made pretty much, a brilliant book himself.

It's a very good buy, for it's purpose. But can you really find true happiness by being powerful? Well, I'll leave that question for you to perhaps answer, but for me, without any doubt at all, the 48 laws of power is an incredible buy.

I hope my opinion has been helpful to you.

The real handbook to power (or life enhancement)
I have had enough for books that promise more than they deliver and therefore I started to read this book with some scepticism. However, after a while the book begun to grow in to me, - not least because of it's handy format (you can use 10 minutes or several hours with it, never loosing your interest) and now I use it daily in my interactions with others. With amazing results: Firstly, I won my first public post primarily because of this book's advices. Secondly, I have gained control over things that seemed be out of my reach. And moreover it has given me richer, more interesting and more challenging life.

This book never fails to entertain, challenge or give you a lesson about hidden games. Word of warning, the book gives you the keys to power but no advice how to use it. Therefore, I advice to read something spiritual on the side (7 habits of highly effective people is great for that). Great book!