The 48 Laws of Power
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distills three thousand years of the history of power in to forty-eight well explicated laws. As attention--grabbing in its design as it is in its content, this bold volume outlines the laws of power in their unvarnished essence, synthesizing the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun-tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and other great thinkers. Some laws teach the need for prudence ("Law 1: Never Outshine the Master"), the virtue of stealth ("Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions"), and many demand the total absence of mercy ("Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally"), but like it or not, all have applications in real life. Illustrated through the tactics of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissinger, P. T. Barnum, and other famous figures who have wielded--or been victimized by--power, these laws will fascinate any reader interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control.
Where The 48 Laws of Power keeps showing up
Three of our editors' lists feature this novel.
Books in conversation with The 48 Laws of Power
A few of the closest reads from our full list.
What you might want to know about The 48 Laws of Power
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Robert Greene draws on three thousand years of history to formulate forty-eight laws of power, from never outshining the master to keeping people dependent on you, with vignettes for each across courts and boardrooms.
Yes. The 48 Laws of Power has been banned in many American prisons for its frank treatment of manipulation and power dynamics. It remains widely available outside that context.
Yes. Despite being published in 1998, The 48 Laws of Power is a steady bestseller and is widely cited in business, politics, and self-development circles. The historical case studies do not date.
The 48 Laws of Power was written by Robert Greene, published in 1998 by Dtv.
The 48 Laws of Power is 452 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The 48 Laws of Power takes most readers 7 to 10 hours to finish.
The 48 Laws of Power is a standalone novel by Robert Greene, not part of a series.
The 48 Laws of Power is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
