The Laws of Human Nature
Robert Greene, 2018
★ 4.33 from 32.9k ratings on Goodreads
A manual on power and self-knowledge that reads history's operators—Pericles, con artists, leaders—to show why we act against our own interests. It reads like a brisk tour through historical schemers and self-analysis, mixing curiosity with a faint unease at how power works.
Feels like curiosity and unease. About power and society.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you enjoy anecdotal history, psychological explanation, and thinking about influence in everyday life. Be warned that it is long and repetitive, and its broad “laws” often outrun the evidence.
Why read it
Greene’s historical cases give you a vocabulary for spotting self-defeating behavior and social pressure, even when you resist his larger claims.
A page from the book
He did not want a statue. He wanted a city that could live without him.
“I could give you many other reasons,” he concluded, “why you should feel confident in ultimate victory, if only you will make up your minds not to add to the empire while the war is in progress, and not to go out of your way to involve yourselves in new perils. What I fear is not the enemy’s strategy but our own mistakes.” The novelty of what he was proposing aroused great debate. Neither hawks nor doves were satisfied with his plan, but in the end, his reputation for wisdom carried the day and his strategy was approved. Several months later the fateful war began. What readers say
Readers find the historical stories and psychological lessons engaging and often personally useful, but many doubt the evidence, call the “laws” overgeneralized, and criticize repetition, length, and manipulative framing.
Robert Greene.Before writing, Greene worked dozens of jobs—construction, carpentry, Hollywood screenwriting—and drew on them for examples of power in everyday life.
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Questions readers ask
- Is The Laws of Human Nature for me?
- You may like it if you enjoy anecdotal history, psychological explanation, and thinking about influence in everyday life. Be warned that it is long and repetitive, and its broad “laws” often outrun the evidence.
- What is The Laws of Human Nature like?
- It reads like a brisk tour through historical schemers and self-analysis, mixing curiosity with a faint unease at how power works. Feels like curiosity and unease. About power and society.
- What should I read after The Laws of Human Nature?
- If you liked The Laws of Human Nature, try Talking to Strangers (Malcolm Gladwell), Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari) and Trump (Donald Trump with Tony Schwartz).
A taste of the feed
We read strangers in seconds and call it understanding.
We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy. If I can convince you of one thing in this book, let it be this: Strangers are not easy.
Talking to Strangers · Malcolm Gladwell
The thing you can't live without was once optional.
One of history’s few iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations. Once people get used to a certain luxury, they take it for granted. Then they begin to count on it. Finally, they reach a point where they can’t live without it.
Sapiens · Yuval Noah Harari
The case for leaving your door open and your calendar empty.
Most people are surprised by the way I work. I play it very loose. I don’t carry a briefcase. I try not to schedule too many meetings. I leave my door open. You can’t be imaginative or entrepreneurial if you’ve got too much structure. I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.
Trump · Donald Trump with Tony Schwartz
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