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8th out of 52 books
—
7 voters
The 33 Strategies of War
by
Robert Greene (Goodreads Author),
Joost Elffers
Brilliant distillations of the strategies of war—and the subtle social game of everyday life—by the bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery
Robert Greene’s groundbreaking guides, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and his latest book, Mastery, espouse profound, timeless lessons from the events of history to help readers vanquish an enemy, ensnare an...more
Robert Greene’s groundbreaking guides, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and his latest book, Mastery, espouse profound, timeless lessons from the events of history to help readers vanquish an enemy, ensnare an...more
Hardcover, 496 pages
Published
January 19th 2006
by Viking Adult
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Excellent if you love History - in particular famous figures, battles, and wars. He humanizes historical people/events in a way that makes what could be dense and overwhelming reading very exciting.
Jan 01, 2009
Erik
is currently reading it
The 33 Strategies of War picks up where the 48 Laws of Power left off. Greene continues his exploration of historical figures, turning his attention to the more focused ways to fight a conflict, weather that be an actual war or a business meeting. The book is split into 5 sections, each dealing with a different type of conflict or method of fighting a conflict, from fighting defensively to dirty fighting favored by revolutionaries. He uses the same style as in the 48 Laws where he retells the hi...more
This guy writes the scariest books out there. Way scarier than Stephen King. Either that or the funniest. I can't tell. His amorality is so exaggerated it's hard to believe. Evil isn't one supernatural weirdo, evil is everyone everywhere all the time. War in this book is a big game between egomaniacs who don't care if they happen to kill millions of people. The author wants you to be like these crazy jerks in your daily life because otherwise crazy jerks will crush you. If people start accusing...more
This book is lousy. I was constantly amazed at the author's ability to say absolutely nothing through so much of the book. If you like pseudo-philosophical catch phrases like "If you want to win a battle, fight your battle to win" Ok, I just made that up, but it would have gone along fine in the book. It's filled with all these pithy says that really don't inform the reader of anything.
Its one saving grace are the stories interspersed to highlight the points Greene is making. Many of them are go...more
Its one saving grace are the stories interspersed to highlight the points Greene is making. Many of them are go...more
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Military collected more genuine intellects and risk thinkers than most if not all other professions ... and Robert Greene puts his vast knowledge of military hitory knowledge and insights into this outstanding book. He combines in a unique way strategy, philosophy and history.
The book is comprised into five parts;
I) SELF-DIRECTED WARFARE
II) ORGANIZATIONAL (TEAM) WARFARE
III) DEFENSIVE WARFARE
IV) OFFENSIVE WARFARE
V) UNCONVENTIONAL (DIRTY) WARFARE
The first part, SELF-DIRECTED WARFARE, is absolutely...more
The book is comprised into five parts;
I) SELF-DIRECTED WARFARE
II) ORGANIZATIONAL (TEAM) WARFARE
III) DEFENSIVE WARFARE
IV) OFFENSIVE WARFARE
V) UNCONVENTIONAL (DIRTY) WARFARE
The first part, SELF-DIRECTED WARFARE, is absolutely...more
I’m beginning to learn that any book by Robert Greene is a treat. The theme seems to be as follows: lots of attention-worthy historical references, crystal clear deductions from analysis, cross examination of derived points and something to take away. All wrapped up in a bow with no fluff, zero me-me-me and enough solid information to keep you thinking for at least the year after you read the book.
The topic for this Robert Greene outing: strategy. The last of his works I read were on seduction,...more
The topic for this Robert Greene outing: strategy. The last of his works I read were on seduction,...more
Excellent book. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in how to win(anything) strategies, World History, War. The majority of the strategies in this book can be used in "everyday" life and that is the beauty of this book. I myself was motivated by this book by the author who injects many motivational statements from many world leaders long dead. Here is a quote from the book that I found very inspirational: "Spiritualize your warefare. Every day you face battles - that is the reality for...more
not only every strategy in this book can be explained but every line, every sentence, every paragraph can be further discussed into diffirent aspects.robert greene initially puts you in well known strategic plans that military use and he applies it to your own life beginning from the self directed war fare to declare war upon yourself with a beautifull explanation of historical events of how to do this (how to see things as they are and not to color them by your emotions, and never to tie yourse...more
Robert Greenes get into the life of everyone of us, we all face war in our life very frequently more than we imagine, not only the generals in battles, but everyone one of us, everyone in our family from kids to grown ups, because life is full of battles, and Robert greenes words is the kind of motivation you want to arm yourself with. It is great to adopt the divine attitude in life, honesty and integrity, but you also meed to learn the other side of the coin, at least how others would do diffe...more
I downloaded this book in audio format and have been listening to the chapters fairly at random. Its very enjoyable, and has obvious applications outside of war, much like The Art of War which it is a clear derivative of. However this is a lot more detailed and more lucid to english speakers than the Art of War.
Its not something I'd like to read cover to cover, but picking it up every so often is plenty rewarding. The range of strategies covered here is really great, going from Xenophan's aggres...more
Its not something I'd like to read cover to cover, but picking it up every so often is plenty rewarding. The range of strategies covered here is really great, going from Xenophan's aggres...more
In 33 Strategies of War, Robert Greene turns military combat into an appropriate metaphor for life in the so-called civilized world. The author introduces the book with a warning to not be deceived by the political correctness and democratic values that the modern world promotes, because beneath the splendor of the king’s court is nothing more than human nature broiling in its most aggressive essence, and rather vented through covert, subtle, and socially accepted ways. The civilized world is in...more
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I bought this book because I found myself contending with aother local business for the same demographic of clientelle. I felt they were using dirty tricks to discredit my business and were not fair with dealing with their customers.
I went to Barnes & Noble and this was the book that helped me see why my competition was doing what they were doing, and how I could foresee or embrace myself with their tactics, then rebound into better positions to attract those customers. I think this is a gr...more
I went to Barnes & Noble and this was the book that helped me see why my competition was doing what they were doing, and how I could foresee or embrace myself with their tactics, then rebound into better positions to attract those customers. I think this is a gr...more
Whoever that read The 48 Laws of Power, can easily recognize The 33 Strategies of War as its sequel. The two books intertwine in some areas, since war is primarily waged to claim power and since those obsessed with power are those who rush into the typical offensive war.
However, this book doesn't speak solely of the typical offensive war. Some of its strategies could be easily applied on conflicts in general and political disagreements in particular. Yet again, you might disagree with some of th...more
However, this book doesn't speak solely of the typical offensive war. Some of its strategies could be easily applied on conflicts in general and political disagreements in particular. Yet again, you might disagree with some of th...more
Excellent book. I listened to this one, but I just picked up an electronic copy and I intend to re-read it, highlighting key passages. Far, far, far better than Greene's The 48 Laws of Power which was written too lowbrow.
33 Strategies is a nice combination of "Sun Tzu" The Art of War and "Machiavelli" The Art Of War, with references to most of the "interesting" battles throughout history, particularly western military history. A little bit like How Great Generals Win, a little bit shallower trea...more
33 Strategies is a nice combination of "Sun Tzu" The Art of War and "Machiavelli" The Art Of War, with references to most of the "interesting" battles throughout history, particularly western military history. A little bit like How Great Generals Win, a little bit shallower trea...more
I'm agreeing with the consensus here that this books picks up where 48 Laws left off. It is a little bit long, and took me a while to read, but it was worth it. It's not as mental foundation-shaking as 48 Laws was, but it is filled still with strategic wisdom and raw advice. It is also delightfully garnished with interesting tales from history where people used innovated strategies to their success. I'm setting out to read biographies on Napoleon, Machiavelli, and Hitchcock to name a few because...more
The latest in what has shaped up to be a trilogy of strategy books, this one is a straight up remake on the Art of War by the Chinese philosopher, Sun Tsu. It tackles the subject of war both as a national struggle of one nation versus another, but also as a individual's struggle of ideology or vision. It is more myopic then the previous books, and perhaps, because of its narrower focus, actually has more to offer in terms of historical narrative. Yet, the author has moved further away from the n...more
I’d like to give this a 3.5 stars, please.
The good:
- Lots of illustrative stories. (After seeing 300, though, I admit to rushing home and being annoyed I couldn’t find anything…especially since I knew what [wouldn’t] happen to Xerxes because I was reading this at the time.)
- A good guide to different approaches to strategy and war.
The bad:
- Usually when people say a book is too long, I assume they’re used to reading magazine articles and are kind of lazy. (I know, that’s awful.) With this, thoug...more
The good:
- Lots of illustrative stories. (After seeing 300, though, I admit to rushing home and being annoyed I couldn’t find anything…especially since I knew what [wouldn’t] happen to Xerxes because I was reading this at the time.)
- A good guide to different approaches to strategy and war.
The bad:
- Usually when people say a book is too long, I assume they’re used to reading magazine articles and are kind of lazy. (I know, that’s awful.) With this, thoug...more
Mar 22, 2008
Chris Gottlieb
added it
It's a great read, but put it in context.: Being a lover of history I think this is a great read. I enjoyed Greene's 48 Laws of power mainly because of all the historical examples he used. This one was no different in that regard.
However, I would caution anyone who considers this some kind of manual for competition and conflict. When reading some of the illustrations I often got the feeling the people involved were more lucky than calculated.
Also, there are so many things that can not be contr...more
However, I would caution anyone who considers this some kind of manual for competition and conflict. When reading some of the illustrations I often got the feeling the people involved were more lucky than calculated.
Also, there are so many things that can not be contr...more
Excellent book about war theories and how they apply to current situations. Lots of historical commentary on Napoleon, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, etc. Towards the end, you start to see some of the same people and situations being discussed again. It is very long and if you read all the quotes, it really takes a while to get through this. I think it would have been a better book if it were more concise and didn't reiterate so much in each of the strategies.
I happened to read this at the same time as [Book:Art of War] and found the similarities striking. He does do a good job of taking the ideas set by Sun Tzu and tailoring them for "every day use". I enjoyed much of the book for this reason and that there were several relevant stories that I usually felt were supportive to the theme and idea.
However, the book did have its redundancies and it never came full circle. It consistently spoke of how ruthlessness would get you head, but never spoke of re...more
However, the book did have its redundancies and it never came full circle. It consistently spoke of how ruthlessness would get you head, but never spoke of re...more
I liked this book; not fabulous, but I did like it. I have many of the books on war (Machiavelli's The Prince, Moltke on the Art of War, Sun Tzu's classic, Alexander the Great's version, some from Napoleon, some Civil War writings, etc.) and this is a conglomeration of many of those I'm familiar with.
Having said that, the style gets tiresome after a while. Many of the best parts are the sidebars where the author quotes directly from some of the best in war theory and war stories. Perhaps I sh...more
Having said that, the style gets tiresome after a while. Many of the best parts are the sidebars where the author quotes directly from some of the best in war theory and war stories. Perhaps I sh...more
Very good book, business is business. We want to all think that in an organization we are all a team. Unfortunately there are many out there that don’t care about you, the organization. They only care about what’s in it for them, or stepping on people along the way. You must learn the tools to protect yourself and the organization you care so dearly about. The tools you learn can only be used for good, or it will backfire.
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Strategies to live by--
Like Robert Greene's other books, this, too, fails in one aspect: it's unfit for the audio format. A barrage of useful information culled from best generals in human history unfortunately doesn't make dents deep enough in the brain to make lasting impressions.
You nod away as you listen through the 33 incredible strategies and their applications, but you come away with nothing but a vague sense of cunning, indirect methods, and deception. Only generalities remain and specif...more
Like Robert Greene's other books, this, too, fails in one aspect: it's unfit for the audio format. A barrage of useful information culled from best generals in human history unfortunately doesn't make dents deep enough in the brain to make lasting impressions.
You nod away as you listen through the 33 incredible strategies and their applications, but you come away with nothing but a vague sense of cunning, indirect methods, and deception. Only generalities remain and specif...more
I have this as an ebook if anybody wants it contact me at isabellaf104@gmail.com, I also have 48 Laws of Power adn Art of Seduction.
Lots of controversial topics, paradoxical arguments(many of the strategies oppose each other), and little room for emergent strategies. You gotta love the storytelling however !
Lots of controversial topics, paradoxical arguments(many of the strategies oppose each other), and little room for emergent strategies. You gotta love the storytelling however !
The writer brings the far east and European strategic ideas together and makes a good summary out of it. Each strategy is coupled with a real life object (like an animal or a natural object like water) and historical examples which makes the issue more understandable.
A must read book if you are into strategy.
A must read book if you are into strategy.
A great follow up to his first book "The 48 Laws of Power". And I have to say this book changed my life in that I took one its strategies - "Death Ground" strategy - and applied it to my own life, forcing myself to step things up quite a bit.
A good read.
A good read.
Its a awesome book but it cant compare to the "art of war" by Sun Tzu. But it is a good war strategy book for its time. I like Robert Greene because he has good stories to back each law or strategy. Understand though. That this book can easily be questioned.
This book is quite useful, yet you can't really extract bullet points that you can teach others.
it makes sense, and adds an insight about thinking strategically, I think it made me change the way I think, especially when it comes to accepting defeat as a means to prepare for next battle. in short it made me more of a fighter.
what I don't like about this book, is the last part, where it came to dirty war, it is sad but true, yet I don't have to practice it
it makes sense, and adds an insight about thinking strategically, I think it made me change the way I think, especially when it comes to accepting defeat as a means to prepare for next battle. in short it made me more of a fighter.
what I don't like about this book, is the last part, where it came to dirty war, it is sad but true, yet I don't have to practice it
This is by far one of the best, most enlightening books I have ever read. The strategies presented resonate with the business world as well as personal endeavors. Be prepared though because it takes time and a lot of thought to absorb it all. This makes it one of the most challenging books I have ever read as well but well worth every minute. I am very grateful for the recommendation of this book as well as "The 48 Laws of Power"...both have made a huge impact! thank you JD
Simply one of the best books on the subject that has been written. The way that Greene flawlessly moves between teaching and giving actual historical examples of the events is perfect. This book is a must read for anyone in business, the military, or politics.
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There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.
Best-selling author and public speaker, Robert Greene was born in Los Angeles. He attended U.C. California at Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received a degree in classical studies. He has worked in New York as an editor and writer at several magazines, including Esquire; and in Hollywood as a story developer and...more
More about Robert Greene...
Best-selling author and public speaker, Robert Greene was born in Los Angeles. He attended U.C. California at Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received a degree in classical studies. He has worked in New York as an editor and writer at several magazines, including Esquire; and in Hollywood as a story developer and...more
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“12--Lose Battles, But Win The War: Grand Strategy
Grand strategy is the art of looking beyond the present battle and calculating ahead. Focus on your ultimate goal and plot to reach it.”
—
30 people liked it
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Grand strategy is the art of looking beyond the present battle and calculating ahead. Focus on your ultimate goal and plot to reach it.”
