Friday, December 16, 2011

The Concise 48 Laws Of Power By Robert Greene

The Concise 48 Laws Of Power

The Concise 48 Laws Of Power
By Robert Greene

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Average customer review:
(7 customer reviews)
Product Details
  • Amazon Sales Rank: #101703 in Books
  • Published on: 2002-06-13
  • Format: Import
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 208 pages
Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

82 of 82 people found the following review helpful.
4A reference book for the original volume
By David Witt
This book is a slimmed down version of the original book, which I also own. It is paperback, 4.5 in X 6.5 in, and 195 pages, versus the original, which was 9 in x 6.5 in and 452 pages.

What it leaves out: All of the historical anecdotes and extensive examples of each law.

What it leaves in: The law, the Judgement (a short description), the Keys to Power (the author's direct description of the law and its consequences), the Image (a symbolic representation of the law), and the Authority (a supporting quotation). This book also has some of the stories that were printed in the margins in the original book.

I loved the original book, which typical had three or four long anecdotes, stories or historical references to illustrate each law. This book is useful as a easy-to-carry reference to the laws now that I have read the original. If, however, you really want to learn these laws, I recommend the original.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
5Essential survival kit for the naive
By A Customer
Excellent book which is a must for everyone who are spectacular failures in all walks of life. In this book you will certainly find the answers for your failure to attain your potential .It is more than likely that you are violating one or more of these laws and / or you are not following the 48 excellent laws of Power.
The ancient wisdom is distilled in a clear and racy format which keeps your attention through out. Only regret that I did not find this book earlier. Brazenly honest book with none of the idealistic crap. A book to be lived by! for survival and beyond.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
5Work like a CEO or Politician
By George Coppedge
This is a guidebook for the ruthless careerist type. Is that you? If so, read the book. If not, beware of how they operate - read the book to avoid being a tool. It definitely DOES contain outstanding advice for dealing with people, regardless of who you are.

There is one law for each chapter. Each 3-5 page chapter states a law of power, explains it, then gives a few examples. It also tries (and fails in my opinion) to create a visual image for each law. Most of the examples are taken from Renaissance or ancient Chinese times, which most readers will have difficulty relating to. If there is a new edition, it could be vastly improved by using modern-day character examples from business or government.

The book is easily readable. The short chapters make it ideal to read when time is limited, e.g. commuting, waiting, etc. While almost all the chapters are surely relevant, it would be a bit difficult to keep all 48 in mind when confronting each situation. So, it's a bit overwhelming. Also, I think to really integrate these laws into everyday behaviors, a reader would have to practice or attend a workshop. Visually, the book is extremely dull - only 1 photo of the author. Any new edition would need serious visual re-design - fonts, colors, real images, etc.

This book is invaluable for aspiring executives. (It's probably required reading at intensely competitive schools like wharton, Harvard, etc. If not, it should be.) Having deduced many of these laws through firsthand work experience before reading this book, I absolutely agree with almost all of the laws the book states. The main caveat is that readers shouldn't expect to be able to apply every one of the 48 laws appropriately to all situations - at least not without a lot of practice!

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