The 48 Laws Of Power

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this piercing work distils three thousand years of the history of power into 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 require prudence ('Law 1: Never Outshine the Master'), some stealth ('Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions'), and some the total absence of mercy ('Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally'), but like it or not, all have applications in real-life situations.

Illustrated through the tactics of Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissenger, P T Barnum, and other famous figures who have wielded - or been victimised by - power, these laws will fascinate any reader interested in gaining, observing or defending against ultimate control.