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)

Outstanding Work!

I feel this book is very comprehensive and well written. It is a spellbinding account of masters through history, how they achieved their status and what you and I can do to get to mastery ourselves. I especially enjoyed his take on the importance of mentorship and the apprentice system. I can only imagine the hours of research and effort that went into creating this tome. Thank you for your tireless contribution to humanity Robert, it is clear you seek mastery in your own life.

Top of the line

Narration of the best kind and a good source of inspiration for a proper daily life

Pretty good, similar to ...

I enjoyed this one ... good writing and great read. The biographical stories were fascinating and I found the switching of topics fascinating.

The only problem I had with this book, is that the underlying premise (that there are different stages of mastery) seemed lost at times. Also, there was a tendency to wax on and give different advice: for example, the author described the frantic energy and creative spark that deadlines can create for us ... then later describes that creative mastery should be done slowly.

Overall, though ... great read and great narrator. If you want to read something similar, try "Talent is Overated" ... this book has a similar message, similar biographies, but has a more focused premise (that all great performers required about 10k hours of concentrated practice to achieve greatness).

beautifully written

I enjoyed this book a lot definitely made me think a little more outside of the box

Master Yourself

This book is simply Amazing. Changes your mindset and helps you understand the elements of what makes a Master in any profession and in life. I'm reading this over an over.

nice story and nice story

It brings you back again and again. It gives strength and it is so simple to read.

Another well-written and conceived Greene title

This is standard Robert Greene work - and that's a good thing. Like "The 48 Laws of Power", he breaks down his topic (Mastery) into bite-sized chunks and then provides interesting glimpses and interpretations of historical (and current) events in light of the particular topic at hand. His stories are interesting and his points fascinating.

There are things in this book for everyone. I wish I'd read this book when I was sixteen. I'll probably give it to my daughter to read when *she* is sixteen. If your ambition is mastery of *anything*, I recommend this book!

Learning from Masters

What a journey is has been! Though there are parts which I could not fully understand at the present phase of my life, the stories of past and current masters are truly inspiring to me. I'm sure that I'll return to the ideas presented in this masterpiece for guidance later on in life.

Probably the best book I've read so far.

One can almost feel how the consciousness grows. The writer describes concepts with such clarity you can distinguish the mastery while actually reading about mastery - amazing. In this way the book almost feels 3 dimensional. Clearly Robert is walking the talk.

So powerful. Love it.

This book was incredibly powerful. What a great listen! can't wait to read the next Robert greene.