Mastery

By: Robert Greene

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

The eagerly anticipated new book from the author of the best-selling The 48 Laws of Power

What did Charles Darwin, middling schoolboy and underachieving second son, do to become one of the earliest and greatest naturalists the world has known? What were the similar choices made by Mozart and by Caesar Rodriguez, the U.S. Air Force's last ace fighter pilot? In Mastery, Robert Greene's fifth book, he mines the biographies of great historical figures for clues about gaining control over our own lives and destinies. Picking up where The 48 Laws of Power left off, Greene culls years of research and original interviews to blend historical anecdote and psychological insight, distilling the universal ingredients of the world's masters.

Temple Grandin, Martha Graham, Henry Ford, Buckminster Fuller - all have lessons to offer about how the love for doing one thing exceptionally well can lead to mastery. Yet the secret, Greene maintains, is already in our heads. Debunking long-held cultural myths, he demonstrates just how we, as humans, are hardwired for achievement and supremacy. Fans of Greene's earlier work and Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers will eagerly devour this canny and erudite explanation of just what it takes to be great.

©2012 Robert Greene (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Greene argues that mastery can come to anyone over time with dedication and application, which literally shape the brain to the task, and he gives frequent bios of famous achievers to underscore his tips and suggestions. Listeners may question his thinking and some of his advice, but Fred Sanders narrates Greene's assertions and arguments with conviction and without overselling, giving them an extra gloss of plausibility and credibility. His reading is clear and well paced. His tone is earnest and slightly intense, with an energetic edge, like that of a coach urging the listener to accomplishment, but controlled, giving an impression of class and intelligence. Greene would make a fine salesman; he and Sanders put the book across, doing their best to inspire the listener." (AudioFile magazine)

"Greene’s specialty is analyzing the lives and philosophies of historical figures like Sun Tzu and Napoleon, and extracting from them tips on how to manipulate people and situations - a cutthroat worldview that has earned him a devoted following among a like-minded readership of rappers, drug dealers and corporate executives." (The New York Times)

"Compelling." (Forbes)

great self help book

great story telling and perfect explanation Robert Greene is clearly a master himself. will definitely re read.

Enjoyed but stories were repetitive

Good edition to Robert Greene’s canon however the stories of the “modern” masters were repetitive and wasted time instead of showcasing other more diverse...read black masters.

If you’re reaching for mastery...

... get this book. One of the best books I listened to. Very Impressed by the author’s analysis and advice.

it's good

a lot of repetition. I do like the ideas but it dragged. it could be a lot shorter, I think.

Very informative and relative

Loved the book. Recommended for those who are seeking their life's task and giving examples of real life masters and their journey to achieve their state of Mastery. Lots of good principles to be learned from this book.

This book made me feel great.

I loved Mastery. The audio book motivates me everytime i listened to it. All the stories about people that changed the world and how they did it. It helped me figure out what iv been doing wrong. it made me realize what I. been doing right also. Iv listened to this book a few times to absorb all the information as there is a lot. I will be listening to this book again when I finish the other Robert Greene books iv been purchasing.

very motivating

carries the message that you can do anything you want if you have the will to do it.

Enlightening

This book gave me greater insight into myself through the story of Masters that have come before.

How to become more intelligent 101

A book like this is great for ambitious people with scattered interests who don’t know which direction to take. My biggest takeaways from this book was to just settle on one skill to focus on in the medium or long term, acquire as much knowledge and experience as possible to see how far you’ll go with it, and how to make the most of the time spent learning and practicing a skill. It’s okay to have a million different things that interest you but it’s important to make sure you spend the most time on what interests you the most in order to live a fulfilled life and give yourself the chance to do something great.

Robert Greene is a great writer who never fails to keep readers engaged with short stories of real people from history and modern times as examples of the many mind-opening points covered in his writing. I’m very glad I bought this audiobook

Changed my life

This book spoke the thoughts that have been trapped in my brain since childhood and helped me understand myself better. Thank u