Guide to Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power

By . IRB Media

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power and NOT the original book.

Preview:

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a self-help book offering advice on how to gain and maintain power, using lessons drawn from parables and the experiences of historical figures.

Power depends on the relationship between a person and those he or she seeks to control.

Inside this companion:

• Overview of the book

• Important People

• Key Insights

• Analysis of Key Insights

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• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Feb 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781944195762

. IRB Media

With Instaread, you can get the key takeaways, summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Overview

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene is a self-help book offering advice on how to gain and maintain power, using lessons drawn from parables and the experiences of historical figures.

Power depends on the relationships between a person and those he or she seeks to control. Powerful people must cultivate their appearances to earn respect and eliminate doubt. They must practice selective honesty, misdirection, and an excess of secrecy to gain a tactical advantage. Timing is central to maintaining power, as is the ability to adapt. The array of strategies available when seeking power include mirroring the opponent’s actions and controlling the opponent’s options for action. The powerful must also cultivate a relationship with audiences by creating spectacles and feeding their need to believe in the impossible.

In some cases, courtiers represent the ideal models for how to acquire power and handle enemies. Other models of the strategies of power include generals of ancient Eastern and Western military history, famous confidence men, and entertainers.

The laws of power can also be reversed in order to achieve results in situations that demand unconventional strategies. For example, while it is generally best to appear less intelligent than the target of a manipulation, intimidating someone with intelligence can accomplish what feigned ignorance could not.

Important People

Robert Greene is an author and business