The 33 Strategies of War

Having been a previous owner of "48 Laws of Power" and the "Art of Seduction" I was awaiting this foray into the art of warfare... and I have not been disappointed! After receiving this book as a birthday gift, I have not put it down in the last 10 days; managing it a piece at a time, and adding some highlighting to key phrases... While some may consider the art of war (or even seduction or manipulation of power) to be an evil thing, Mr. Greene's take on the subject seems to be "its out there: learn about it to either use it or defend against it." How true this is. The anectdotes in this book are not just coverage of battlefields and generals - varying in scope from Alfred Hitchcock to Joan Crawford, to Cortez - this book has one for (almost) everyone. And while this may seem like Sun Tzu for the Jet Set, "33 Strategies of War" would find a welcome home on the bookshelf of a four-star general preparing for battle or a stay-at-home mom wanting to match wits with her unruly children...

I was intrigued by this book. I already own a concise version of the 48 Laws of Power, written by the same author. However, for some reason I never really got too taken with his previous book, which I shall revisit. I had a strong suspicion that this book would be essentially a rehash of the aforementioned 48 Laws, but the militaristic subject matter appealed. Well, I can confirm that this book definitely stands on it's own as an individual work. In appearance, it is very inviting, beautifully designed with a great cover design and highlighted extracts of text on the borders of most pages drawn largely from classic military writings throughout the ages. This book has a sinfully charismatic quality about it, like a rich slice of chocolate cake that beckons in the most tempting manner. However, beyond the design and look of the book, it definitely has meat on the bones. The mainstream subject matter is how someone could draw on lessons from military history and strategy to employ in everyday life. There are finely researched stories from throughout the ages that cite various approaches, ploys, plots, victories, defeats, as well as some non-military examples, such as Alfred Hitchcock. Now I am not entirely sure that this is a self-improvement book as such. It is not exactly the same type of work as Covey's 7 Habits of Effective People, but I find it so much more enjoyable. I have plenty of time for those who do not push the warm and fluffy approach to life that demands we smile at people in the elevator to spread our positive energy. Now I'm not advocating an opposite approach or use of the strategies outlined in this book, but my point is that the perspective is ironically refreshing. The author obviously draws strongly on a familiarity with classical studies to summarise stories of ancient battles and conflicts, as well as such influential figures as Clausewitz, through to more recent conflicts. Again, I am not quite sure what kind of book this is, as it could not be looked on as a pure work of military history, either. However, whatever kind of strange animal it is, it is stylish, darkly charismatic and cynical. If the 48 Laws of Power was a book made to sit on the bookshelves of our wealthy businessman uncle, then the 33 Strategies of War is the kind of book that would be found in the reading room of our Brigadier grandfather, albeit with a modern-day feel to it. I certainly enjoyed this book and it added to my perspectives on military strategy. For example, Sun Tzu advocates an approach of always allowing a desperate enemy force a route to escape - or they will fight to the death. This book spun that perspective, advocating that to create a sense of desperation, urgency and drive in ourselves, that sometimes we should put ourselves on the "death ground", with no exits so that we are forced to rise up and overcome the challenge. Highly motivational.

Robert Greene's books are deep and they are for thinkers. If you want a breezy beach read or airplane read, this is not that book. You'll read this book once, get to the last page and go back to page 1 and start reading again. There are literally hundreds of ideas in this book. I especially like the way the author has made the book applicable to your life, the business or the battlefield. As a former soldier, I deeply appreciate the detailed review of war strategies and found the book so compelling, I'm buying copies for all of my friends who are in the military and currently deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. If you only read one business or self improvement book this year, read this one. If you read three, read the author's other two books, The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction.

As "an older professional" I am usually a bit cynical about books of this sort -- usually pretty superficial stuff. Not so with this book. Very well done, few errors, well written and thought provoking. I highly recommend it.

Robert Greene is a prolific research and thinker who has made a habit out of writing masterpieces that explore all nuances of human behavior. In his latest tome he follows the same approach as in his previous bestsellers by leading off each chapter with a quick and easy to read summary that gives you the essence of the strategy and the stories that follow. Then he leads you on one fascinating historical excursion after another that brings each strategy to life through the exploits of some of histories most famous and notorious characters. The beauty of his approach is that there is something for everyone in this book. You may read about a tactic that is highly amusing, but that you say to yourself, "I could never do that." Then in the next chapter you may say, "That's fits in with my personality. I can do that." That's how I felt about his strategies for laying back and appearing to not care, and about his strategy for taking an unassailable position. A brief story in chapter 4 on developing a sense of extreme urgency was well worth the cost of the book to me. It talks about Fyodor Dostoevsky and how a change in his perspective on the value of life lead to a greater appreciation for every moment, and to an era of rampant productivity that continued until his death. Because I'm an author I spend a good part of every day writing and thinking about my work. After reading about Dostoevsky I immediately felt an even higher sense of purpose and motivation. You really can't go wrong with this book. It is very entertaining and educational. Beyond that, you could pick up some sage, time-tested advice for improving both your business and your life. Bravo! Phil Capelle