Robert Greene (American author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Greene
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| Born | May 14, 1959 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Education | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
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| Partner | Anna Biller |
Robert Greene (born May 14, 1959) is an American author. He writes books about strategy and power. He has written seven books that became international bestsellers. These include The 48 Laws of Power, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law (with rapper 50 Cent), Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and The Daily Laws.
Greene was born in 1959. He studied classical studies and worked many different jobs. He published his first book in 1998. In his writing, Greene often looks at historical figures and events. Many famous people, politicians, and civil rights activists have mentioned his books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Greene grew up in Los Angeles. He is the younger son of Jewish parents. He first went to the University of California, Berkeley. He finished his degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. There, he earned a B.A. in classical studies.
Before becoming an author, Greene had many jobs. He estimates he worked about 60 to 65 different jobs. These included being a construction worker, a translator, and a magazine editor. He also worked as a Hollywood movie writer.
In 1995, Greene worked as a writer in Italy. He met a book packager named Joost Elffers. Greene suggested writing a book about power to Elffers. He wrote a plan for the book. This plan later became The 48 Laws of Power. Greene says this was a major turning point in his life.
Robert Greene's Books
Greene has published seven books. His books are very popular, but also sometimes controversial. He is the most banned author in U.S. prisons. Many prisons ban his books to keep order.
The 48 Laws of Power
The 48 Laws of Power was Greene's first book. It was published in 1998. The book is a guide for understanding power. It shows how people can gain power, observe it, or protect themselves from it.
The laws in the book come from the lives of many historical figures. These include strategists like Niccolò Machiavelli and Sun Tzu. Other figures are Queen Elizabeth I and P.T. Barnum. Each law has its own chapter. It includes examples of when the law was broken or followed.
Greene says that power itself is not good or evil. He believes The 48 Laws of Power helps people understand power. It also shows how people act in different groups and organizations.
This book has sold over 1.2 million copies. Many famous people have talked about it. These include 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Will Smith. Rapper Busta Rhymes said he used the book to deal with movie producers. Songs by Jay Z, Kanye West, and Drake have mentioned it. Greene even said that former Cuban President Fidel Castro read the book.
The Sunday Times newspaper called the book "the Hollywood back-stabber's bible." This means it was seen as a guide for tricky situations in Hollywood. Some business executives use the book. However, few talk about it publicly because of its controversial ideas. Greene says that business people use these "wicked" laws every day. He believes they are just part of how competition works. He also says that only a few laws are manipulative. Most of the 48 laws are not. In 2024, Spotify said it was one of the top audiobooks globally.
In 2020, rapper Drake announced he was making a TV series based on the book.
The 33 Strategies of War
The 33 Strategies of War is Greene's third book. It was published in 2007. The book is divided into five main parts. These cover different types of warfare. They include self-directed, team, defensive, offensive, and unconventional warfare.
The book offers wisdom from military history. It uses examples from leaders like Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander the Great. It also includes figures like Alfred Hitchcock and Margaret Thatcher. The Sunday Times called it "an excellent toolkit" for business and relationships. NBA player Chris Bosh said it was his favorite book. It has sold over 200,000 copies.
The 50th Law
The 50th Law is Greene's fourth book. He wrote it with rapper 50 Cent. It was published in 2009. The book combines ideas about strategy and being fearless. It shares stories from 50 Cent's life as a rising musician. It also includes lessons from historical figures.
Each of the 10 chapters explains a part of being fearless. They start by showing how 50 Cent learned this "Fearless Philosophy" in Southside Queens. The book was very popular. It reached #5 on The New York Times Bestseller list. It was also a USA Today bestseller.
Mastery
Greene's fifth book, Mastery, came out in November 2012. This book looks at the lives of famous people. It includes historical figures like Charles Darwin and Benjamin Franklin. It also features modern figures like Paul Graham.
The book finds common traits and steps that helped them become masters in their fields. It is divided into six sections. Each section focuses on important lessons and strategies for achieving mastery. Mastery reached #6 on The New York Times Bestseller list. It was also featured in many popular magazines and websites.
The Laws of Human Nature
Greene's sixth book, The Laws of Human Nature, was released in October 2018. The book explores people's conscious and unconscious thoughts. It looks at what drives them and their biases. It also discusses persuasion, rationality, and death. Greene believes this is his most complete book. He suggests it as a starting point for new readers.
The book uses examples from people like Joseph Stalin, Anton Chekhov, and Coco Chanel.
The Daily Laws
The Daily Laws is Greene's seventh book. It was released in October 2021. This book offers short pieces of wisdom. Each day of the year has a "Daily Law." Each month focuses on a different theme.
Media Appearances
Robert Greene's work has been featured in many major newspapers and TV channels. These include The New York Times, CNN, and Newsweek. He has also appeared on MSNBC, The Today Show, and MTV News.
In 2013, Greene gave a talk about his book Mastery at Talks at Google. Later that year, he gave a TED talk called "The key to transforming yourself." In 2016, a talk he gave at Microsoft Research was uploaded. It was titled "War, Power, Strategy." In 2019, he gave another talk at Google about The Laws of Human Nature.
Personal Life
Greene lives in Los Angeles with his partner Anna Biller. She is a filmmaker. Greene says he can speak five languages. He also studies Zen Buddhism.
Greene is a mentor to Ryan Holiday. Holiday is a bestselling author of books like The Obstacle Is the Way.
In 2018, Greene had a serious stroke. This happened before his book The Laws of Human Nature was launched. A wasp sting caused a blood clot in his neck, leading to the stroke. For a time, he could not use his left hand and leg.
Politics
On December 16, 2022, during the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, a text was shared. The text was attributed to Greene. It described strategies for opposing the Islamic Republic government of Iran. The Institute for the Study of War said the text matched a YouTube video Greene made about the protests. A list of five civil disobedience strategies was shared with the text. These strategies aimed to keep the protest movement going.
Greene supported Barack Obama in the 2012 United States presidential election. He identifies with liberal politics.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Greene (escritor estadounidense) para niños
