★★★★★
“Everything must appear civilized, decent, democratic, and fair. But if we play by those rules too strictly, if we take them too literally, we are crushed by those around us who are not so foolish.”
“An emotional response to a situation is the single greatest barrier to power, a mistake that will cost you a lot more than any temporary satisfaction you might gain by expressing your feelings.”
Review
A classic. Machiavellian, cynical, controversial, realistic and powerful in its takes. I have provided a summarized version of the laws below. This book deserves a few re-reads (if you can get over the frequency of examples used), so the below is just a reference guide.
The laws in the book itself are organized into eight categories: laws of power, laws of strategy, laws of wealth, laws of persuasion, laws of human nature, laws of leadership, laws of reputation, and laws of victory.