33 Strategies of War

By: Robert Greene

Narrated by: Donald Coren

Length: 27 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

33 Strategies of War is a comprehensive guide to the subtle social game of everyday life, informed by the most ingenious and effective military principles in war. It's the I-Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and is abundantly illustrated with examples from history, including the folly and genius of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher, Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, movie moguls to samurai swordsmen.

©2007 Robert Greene and Joost Elffers (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Great for thinkers

What I like most about this book and its counter part the 48 laws of power is the style in which the author delivers a ton of information. The stories he tells are real and are from the lives of many different well known and influential people from different time periods. Its like having someone piece together twenty or thirty biographies of interesting peoples lives and getting just the good parts. I enjoyed 48 laws of power more but the principles in this book make you think a lot. I found myself looking inward and asking myself how I acted in certain social situations in and outside of the work place.

It is a very interesting and well done work!

Impressive array of moves, stories, coaching

This book is very qualitative: it mostly describes possible moves or approaches, in fairly plain terms, to challenging situations, posed as war or conflict, with stories spliced in from history (and occasionally literature) to back each one up. There is not some deep analytical means to opt for one move versus others. Likewise it is not excessive in its humility -- the basic tone is, you can do it. Grasp this, understand this, dare that. (It does, however, counsel a calm, deliberate, self-critical, and self-aware approach.) It thus hits a nice balance, being energizing, but not overly risk-obsessed. I find it very pleasant and uplifting to pass time (as on a commute or a walk-run) letting this endless sort of breeze of coaching tips stream over my ears and mind. I like a book that can stand up to that sort of shifting environment and still be understandable. This is one of those few books I may very well listen to multiple times. I like this author a lot and will check out his other titles.

Alongside more of Napoleon than I ever heard, this author has a great appreciation for east Asian strategies of indirection and seeming retreat or "not-doing." For example, there are ideas of trading space for time, both from European tacticians and Chinese in different eras. There are many great mind-stretchers here along these lines. And how about that Joan Crawford! What a tactician! The author reaches in many unexpected directions and opens vistas and bios I would never have thought of.

It's just okay

I normally like Robert Greene's books, but this felt a little too dry for me. I couldn't finish it. But I do love and recommend his other book: 48 laws of power

terrifyingly good

this book nails so many things it's hard to cover it all in a review. just BUY THE BOOK
if you enjoy history buy the book
if you enjoy drama buy the book
you you like conflict buy the book
if you like practical applications buy the book

Foundations

I read this book many years ago and remember feeling like it would change my life. Having not reviewed it in the many years that passed, I’m amazed by how little i remembered. Between the two readings, there were countless opportunities to capitalize on the wisdom collected here. In fact, I should have read the section on passive-aggression last year.

The strategies are important because there is a very real war for power or influence being waged around us. If you’re like me, you prefer to go through life trying to be the best version of yourself and rely on your integrity to win the day. Unfortunately, we are few and far between. Others are using conscious and unconscious forms of strategy to win the battlefield. We have to be able to recognize their efforts and know how to respond. Otherwise, we lose.

Robert’s analysis of the Vietnam Conflict is spot on. America failed to understand the enemy and their strategy out maneuvered our politicians with public opinion through press coverage, the hamstrung our military forces through political maneuvering, and ultimately crafted a narrative that painted our nation with shame.

Read this book. It’ll open your eyes to strategies at all levels, from marriage to world war.

Excerpts

This is a execellent audio book of advice, the narrators matter of fact voice and the odd representation of the world shines a new light on everything with its excerpts quotes and stories from fables and real world occurrences. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who has free time.

Strategy for Life

Required Reading for Entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to understand human nature and social dynamics

Cheat sheet for war books

A detailed breakdown on all the books on conflict we should be reading. Well done!

good listen while driving......... .

good listen while driving. use this or defend against it. I ended up reading more about each person in the story

A Must Read for Self-Empowerment

This is the most empowering book I've ever read. "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." This book tells you how to react.

Valuable and Insightful Lessons but...

This enormous tome provides many Valuable and Insightful Lessons only there seems to be an underlying presumption that no one can be trusted and everyone is really out to get one over you at every and any chance they can. I really don't think this is a healthy nor a productive view of people to maintain, even though of course it may save your I'm falling into somebody else's schemes wanna sing awhile.

The book contains many excellent stories from history. Continual references to Napoleon, lessons from the I Ching and Samurai.

Despite my reservations about the author's somewhat paranoid premis (I'm not sure I'd want to do business with him), I know I'll listen to this book again... Maybe several times.

Simply superb

Absolutely amazing insight into the variety of approaches used by the greatest of strategists throughout time. This book changed my focus on life, enabling me to view my actions and that if others in a more productive and rational way.
Thank you Robert Greene

The historical examples are fantastic

I'm not sure if this will help me improve my daily interactions, but I found the historical examples fascinating. To me, history at it's best is meant to give greater understanding of the present, and this book definitely does that

Know your enemy.

An extraordinary and challenging book, dangerous in the wrong hands, and vital in the right.

well structured and great historical examples

This audio book was really interesting, it has great historical examples a great read. Helps you arm for the political work place

awesome insight into the mind of war

loved the book, clear structure and good examples from a wide range of sources. A real insight in to war and modern life

Great read but an abrupt ending

Great read but an abrupt ending

Would highly recommend this for anyone who would benefit from learning the art of strategic thinking

Illuminating and both inspiring and terrifying.

While reading this book I drifted from one feeling to the other. Inspired by great men such as Napoleon, Caeser and Miyamoto Musashi and then terrified by how our society and myself have have been manipulated.
It's forced me to view the world and its people in a whole different light and I've already begun reading some of the supporting texts mentioned in this book and .
This will definitely be put on the reread bookshelf.

A very interesting with real world practical uses

One the most interesting and valuable books I've listened to so far. The authors reference dozens of famous strategists and how they have dealt with difficult situations. As well as being incredibly interesting, the authors interpretation of these events mean you can learn lessons which can be applied in your own life. Will probably give it another listen at some point.

Great book would listen again

This is a great book, it is told in bite-size digestible stories with an overarching theme on each chapter. It never got boring and for a 27hr book that is a great achievement. I will definitely pull this one out again in a year or so and pick up the bits I missed or forgot. Good narration nice pace.