 | |
| Author | Robert Greene |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Subject | Self-help |
| Published | 1998 (Viking Press) (HC); 2007 (HighBridge Audio) CD |
| Pages | 480 |
| ISBN | 0670881465 (HC); ISBN 978-1598870923 (CD) |
| OCLC | 39733201 |
| 303.3 21 | |
| LC Class | BD438 .G74 1998 |
| Followed by | The Art of Seduction |
The 48 Laws of Power (1998) is a self-help book by American author Robert Greene. [1] The book is a New York Times bestseller, [2] [3] selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States.
Greene initially formulated some of the ideas in The 48 Laws of Power while working as a writer in Hollywood and concluding that today's power elite shared similar traits with powerful figures throughout history. [4] In 1995, Greene worked as a writer at Fabrica, an art and media school, and met a book packager named Joost Elffers. [5] [6] Greene pitched a book about power to Elffers and six months later, Elffers requested that Greene write a treatment. [5]
Although Greene was quite unhappy in his job, he was comfortable and saw the time needed to write a proper book proposal as too risky. [7] However, at the time Greene was rereading his favorite biography about Julius Caesar and took inspiration from Caesar's decision to cross the Rubicon River and fight Pompey, thus inciting Caesar's civil war. [7] Greene wrote the treatment, which would later become The 48 Laws of Power. [7] He would note this as the turning point of his life. [7]
Carol Kennedy, writing in Director magazine, states "some of Greene's 'laws' seem contradictory" and the work is "plodding and didactic". [8] Jerry Adler, writing in Newsweek , lists ways the laws contradict one another and states, "Intending the opposite, Greene has actually produced one of the best arguments since the New Testament for humility and obscurity." [9] Kirkus Reviews said Greene offers no evidence to support his world view, that his laws contradict each other, and that the book is "simply nonsense". [10]
The 48 Laws of Power has been studied at Millsaps College, and Ramapo College. [11] [12] Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford University said that Greene's so-called laws are based on isolated examples, and not on solid research. [4]
The 48 Laws of Power has sold over 1.2 million copies in the United States and has been translated into 24 languages. [5] Fast Company called the book a "mega cult classic", and The Los Angeles Times noted that The 48 Laws of Power turned Greene into a "cult hero with the hip-hop set, Hollywood elite and prison inmates alike". [5] [13]
The book has been reported to be much requested in American prison libraries. [4] [14] Rapper 50 Cent stated that he related to the book "immediately", and approached Greene with the prospect of a potential collaboration, which would later become The 50th Law , another New York Times bestseller. [15] Busta Rhymes and Derrius Jackson used The 48 Laws of Power to deal with problematic movie producers. [6] The 48 Laws of Power has also been mentioned in songs by UGK, Jay Z, Kanye West, Central Cee, MF DOOM, and Drake. [16] [17] [18] [19] Dov Charney, founder and former CEO of American Apparel who would be terminated by that company in 2014, frequently quoted the laws during board meetings, has given friends and employees copies of the book, and appointed Greene to the board of the now defunct American Apparel. [5] [20] [21] Former Cuban President Fidel Castro is also claimed by the book's author to have read the book. [5] The book has been banned by several US prisons. [22]
The 48 Laws of Power has been referenced, or bought by 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Michael Jackson (who wrote in the margins [23] ), Courtney Love (who was photographed carrying it on the way to court when facing a drugs charge [24] ), Will Smith and Jurin from the Japanese girlgroup XG. [5] [25] [26] [4] [27]
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins Sr., better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known as a leading figure in 2000s hip hop for his blending of gangsta rap with commercially-oriented pop sensibilities. He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), which spawned his first single "Holla Holla". Ja Rule peaked the Billboard Hot 100 thrice in 2001 with his single "Always on Time" and his guest appearances on Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real " and "Ain't It Funny". His encompassing singles, "Put It on Me", "Mesmerize", "Livin' It Up" and "Wonderful" have peaked within the top ten of the chart and spawned from commercially successful album releases.
American Apparel Inc. is a North American clothing retailer. The brand began with operating retail stores between the late 1980s and late 2010s. Its operations are based in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Canadian businessman Dov Charney in 1989, it was a vertically integrated company that ranked as one of the largest apparel manufacturers and marketers in North America.
Dov Charney is a Canadian entrepreneur and clothing manufacturer. He is the CEO of Yeezy and the founder of American Apparel, which was one of the largest garment manufacturers in the United States until its bankruptcy in 2015. Charney was fired from American Apparel due to numerous allegations including sexual harassment, racism, and sexual assault. Charney subsequently founded Los Angeles Apparel.
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The 33 Strategies of War is a military history and personal development book. It was written by American author Robert Greene in 2006. It is composed of discussions and examples of offensive and defensive strategies from a wide variety of people and conditions, applying them to social conflicts such as family quarrels and business negotiations.
The Art of Seduction (2001) is the second book by American author Robert Greene. The book examines social power through the lens of seduction and was an international bestseller.
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50 Cent: The Money and the Power is an American reality television series which premiered November 6, 2008 on MTV. The show was hosted by 50 Cent and follows the same mold as The Apprentice. It was meant to serve as a "visual companion" to 50 Cent's book The 50th Law, which he co-wrote with Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power. The show was cancelled after one season.
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Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written seven international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and The Daily Laws.
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Mastery is the fifth book by the American author Robert Greene. The book examines the lives of historical figures such as Charles Darwin and Henry Ford, as well as the lives of contemporary leaders such as Paul Graham, Temple Grandin, Teresita Fernández, Yoky Matsuoka and Freddie Roach, and examines what led to their success. The book was published on November 13, 2012 by Viking Adult.
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