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The 33 Strategies of War (Joost Elffers Books) Paperback – December 14, 2007

by Robert Greene (Author)

328 customer reviews

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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

Robert Greene’s groundbreaking guides, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and Mastery, espouse profound, timeless lessons from the events of history to help readers vanquish an enemy, ensnare an unsuspecting victim, or become the greatest in your field. In The 33 Strategies of War, Greene has crafted an important addition to this ruthless and unique series.

Spanning world civilizations, synthesizing dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts and thousands of years of violent conflict, The 33 Strategies of War is a comprehensive guide to the subtle social game of everyday life informed by the most ingenious and effective military principles in war. Structured in Greene’s trademark style, The 33 Strategies of War is the I-Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

Abundantly illustrated with examples from history, including the folly and genius of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher, Shaka the Zulu to Lord Nelson, Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, as well as movie moguls, Samurai swordsmen, and diplomats, each of the thirty-three chapters outlines a strategy that will help you win life’s wars. Learn the offensive strategies that require you to maintain the initiative and negotiate from a position of strength, or the defensive strategies designed to help you respond to dangerous situations and avoid unwinnable wars. The great warriors of battlefields and drawing rooms alike demonstrate prudence, agility, balance, and calm, and a keen understanding that the rational, resourceful, and intuitive always defeat the panicked, the uncreative, and the stupid. An indispensable book, The 33 Strategies of War provides all the psychological ammunition you need to overcome patterns of failure and forever gain the upper hand.

The 33 Strategies of War (Joost Elffers Books)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As in his bestselling The 48 Laws of Power, Greene puts a modern spin on wisdom that has stood the test of history, only this time his role model is Sun Tzu rather than Machiavelli. The argument is fairly standard: despite our most noble intentions, "aggressive impulses that are impossible to ignore or repress" make military combat a fitting metaphor for getting ahead in life. Greene's advice covers everything from steeling one's mind for battle to specific defensive and offensive tactics—notably, the final section on "dirty" warfare is one of the book's longest. Historical lessons are outlined and interpreted, with amplifying quotations crammed into the margins. Not all of the examples are drawn from the battlefield; in one section, Greene skips nimbly from Lyndon Johnson's tenacity to Julius Caesar's decisiveness, from Joan Crawford's refusal to compromise to Ted Williams's competitive drive. Alfred Hitchcock, he says, embodies "the detached-Buddha tactic" of appearing uninvolved while remaining in total control. The diversity of subject matter compensates for occasional lapses into stilted warriorese ("arm yourself with prudence, and never completely lay down your arms, not even for friends"). For those willing to embrace its martial conceit, Greene's compendium offers inspiration and entertainment in equal measure. (Jan. 23)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Greene and "producer" Joost Elffers are the Machiavellians who brought us The 48 Laws of Power (1998) and The Art of Seduction (2001), and their latest book similarly purports to distill the profundities of history for personal gain. Unapologetically premised on Hobbesian "all that is social is war" bromides, this account collects parables of strategic success and error from a diverse cast of military and nonmilitary historical figures. Its lessons are presented self-help-book style in chapters titled "Maneuver Them into Weakness" and "Seem to Work for the Interests of Others While Furthering Your Own" and flanked by a withering barrage of reiterative marginalia. Most books this cynical (and this repetitive) need a sense of humor to be readable, something this book apparently lacks. Its quasi-spiritual tone, though perhaps increasing its attractiveness to the impressionable, is also trying at times. But those readers who push through to the end (or flip ahead) will find a curiously contemporary section on modern terrorism cloaking a surprisingly specific commentary on al-Qaeda and antiterrorism strategy. Politics by other means? Brendan Driscoll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product details

Series: Joost Elffers Books
Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (December 14, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0143112783
ISBN-13: 978-0143112785
Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 1.1 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (328 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11 in Books > History > Military > Strategy
- #15 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Violence in Society
- #39 in Books > Business & Money > Management & Leadership > Systems & Planning

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Customer Reviews

328

4.6 out of 5 stars

5 star		79%
4 star		13%
3 star		3%
2 star		2%
1 star		3%

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Top Customer Reviews

Better Than Garlic

ByAurora Leeon July 27, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

To date I've read everything Robert Greene has in print and, much to my surprise, this turned out to be the most useful volume of all. Greene's other books were immensely helpful for clearing my head of cobwebs since, along with everyone else, I'm forced to negotiate our brave new world of cutthroat tactics and social Darwinists, while trying to keep a roof over my head. Without going into detail, let me simply say The 33 Strategies of War taught me exactly what I needed to know in order to adequately discourage the bullying I have had to endure at work for the past three years. Until I can find another job -- not all wars are winnable -- I can now keep this workplace vampire's demeaning behaviors in check. I recommend all of Greene's books, but this one may well be the best investment of the lot.

0Comment 22 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

This is probably the best book I've read - the writing is very engaging ...

ByAjay Ayyaron March 14, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is probably the best book I've read - the writing is very engaging and they are explained in such an interesting and insightful way. Clearly a lot of research has gone into this, particularly the historic stories about war/combat and politics. The examples from history are an excellent way to illustrate specific points. I regularly keep this book for reference, and I'm sure I'll continue referring to it in the future. It uses the topic of war to explain and describe different strategic tools and methods. I've read 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, so this is my 2nd book I've read by him - and it exceeded expectations.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Read a 'Strategy' today ... you'll see it or use it tomorrow

ByRobert Johnstonon October 4, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Books written on the subject of strategy and the tactics to accomplish them are among the most ancient. Strategy & tactics have always been valued knowledge. Strategy has been carefully written for the next generation confronted with survival in a dangerous world. Humans relish the intellectual challenge to war or to preserve peace. The dimensions Greene pursues are based in the long cultural history of what has worked and what has not. The methods that worked in 400BC are current in the 21st century.

Placing that long history of the outcomes of strategy in the human experience is not a simple challenge. Greene's sampling of the range of options and there nuances in a concise and approachable fashion is well done. His method to draw from history in border highlights to his narrative is an immersive reading experience. Should the reader consider the historical quotational references first or Greene's narrative that elaborates? The answer for this reader was both. The commensurate demand of Greene's effort is to motivate the re-read of one or the other or both to seal in the central notion. Strategy and implications demands intellectual rigor if one's objective is to both understand the principles and rationalize the implications. Civilization has been defined by the strategic outcomes realized by our predecessors. Greene tells the story of why and why.

As to the business implications, the concept of `War' is perhaps better translated as `Competition'. We have no examples of non-warfare related competition or social governance that is not at core a friction of opposing ideals. Friction is relieved in strategy. Greene's primer does an excellent job elaborating methods in this context. War is a lengthy and thoroughly enjoyable read that is best consumed a chapter at a time.

5-star great read for the strategically oriented!

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Clearing up the land-locked question?

ByG.B.on March 7, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A few readers have complained that Mr. Greene wrote that "Afghanistan was rich in natural gas and other minerals and had ports on the Indian Ocean", when Afghanistan is a land-locked country. However, the operative word here is "was". According to some sources, "Afghanistan, at its height, included all of Pakistan and all the way to Delhi." Which means it was not landlocked at the time. You have to remember that Mr. Greene was writing from a historical perspective and the countries in this regions have had porous border for thousands of years. I also read that: "In 1857, Friedrich Engels describes "Afghanistan" as: [...] an extensive country of Asia [...] between Persia and the Indies, and in the other direction between the Hindu Kush and the Indian Ocean."
Also, I don't think that Mr. Greene's books are amoral. Quite the contrary, they open our eyes to the strategies that some people use to win or get ahead through strategy and manipulation, and allow us to prepare if ever we need to engage with them socially or professionally.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

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A much under-rated but brilliant book on the finer points of social interaction.

I have read and re-read this under-valued, but brilliantly written book and get more out of each time.Read more

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Read to understand the platforms for navigating business and other critical aspects of life

Strong effort to tie historical examples into many established and some intuitive forms of situational leadership for both combat and business. Will read again.Read more

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