Book Review: The 48 Laws of Power
In The 48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene takes the reader on a spectacular journey throughout history, stopping at a plethora of interesting destinations to demonstrate the use (or lack of use) of his 48 Laws.
The books roughly follow a basic pattern:
- Discuss the Law
- Historical example to demonstrate how the particular law was used effectively
- Historical example to demonstrate how failure to understand the law or failure to use the law led to failure
The book conjures up images of Sun Tzu’s Art of War for those who are familiar with that ancient title. Of course, Greene’s work is far more accessible to the modern reader and more entertaining also, due in part to the historical examples. Another interesting feature is that Greene’s work can be read through from start to finish, but it also lends itself well to a more casual approach by a reader who likes to skip around and choose to read about whichever Law takes his or her fancy at that moment.
Title: The 48 Laws of Power
Author: Robert Greene
Publication Date: 1998
Pages: 452
Genre: Historical Non-fiction – How-to Guide
The book can be a how-to guide for those who seek to understand the secrets of power, but it can also be an incredibly entertaining read for those interested in history. I have not fact-checked the book so I am not sure if the historical examples are all accurate, but even if Greene took some liberties with them, I don’t think they would greatly diminish this excellent work.
