The Concise Art of Seduction

by Robert Greene

The companion book to the bestselling Concise 48 Laws of Power, which has now sold over 125,000 copies in the UK. Amoral, ruthless, clever and cunning, this is the essential guide to the art of seduction.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Philosophy, Personal Development, Education, Love

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.

Best-selling author and public speaker, Robert Greene was born in Los Angeles. He attended U.C. California at Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received a degree in classical studies. He has worked in New York as an editor and writer at several magazines, including Esquire; and in Hollywood as a story developer and writer.

Robert has lived in London, Paris, and Barcelona; he speaks several languages and has worked as a translator. In 1995 he was involved in the planning and creation of the art school Fabrica, outside Venice, Italy. There he met Joost Elffers, the New York book packager and discussed with him his idea for a book on power and manipulation, the ultimate modern version of Machiavelli's The Prince.

Robert and Joost became partners and in 1998, The 48 Laws of Power was born. The book has been a national and international bestseller, and has been translated into 17 languages. In 2001, Robert released his second book, The Art of Seduction, which is more than a sequel to The 48 Laws; it is both a handbook on how to wield the ultimate form of power, and a detailed look at the greatest seducers in history.

The third in this highly anticipated series of books, The 33 Strategies of War, hit bookstores January 2006 and offers a strategic look behind the movements of War in application to everyday life. In addition to having a strong following within the business world and a deep following in Washington, DC, these books are also being hailed by everyone from war historians to some of the heaviest hitters in the rap world (including Jay-Z and 50 Cent).

The popularity of these books along with their vast and fiercely loyal audience proves these are profound, timeless lessons from historical leaders that still ring true in today's culture. Robert currently lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Shahad Al Melhem · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a short guide on how to be the following:
1. Fake
2. Liar
3. Backstabber
4. Stalker
5. Psychopath
6. Manipulative

[Paul Lindholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading The Art of Seduction because I was a huge fan of Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power. I enjoy his style and how he fits in scenarios of other people the scenario has applied to in history. I am not giving this book 4 stars because it is bad by any means, but compared to his other book it is missing much of the depth through stories that his previous book contained (don’t know if this is just because of the concise edition). I will discuss through this review the way it was set up, the content that it contained and the overall rating. I will discuss the pros and cons below and summarize my rating on a scale of 10.

Pros:

Fantastic verbiage and use of imagery through symbols. Great Layout stating the different characters each of us plays. The first portion discusses the different characters whereas the second portion discusses different methods for seducing people. There are many quotes and historical excerpts that help to gain a better understanding of the text. Throughout the book I would underline different phrases that I would like to apply to my life. I burned through this book so quickly and wish I bought the full book at the end.

Cons:

I didn’t know how I should apply these concepts. Yes, I understand that it is geared towards getting some women to fall for you, but many of these concepts could and should be applied to your careers more so than landing the cute women at the bar. The book was dark, but that’s what keeps me coming back for more of Robert Greene’s books. I had a hard time retaining much of the information because most of it was extremely theoretical, and I think I will have a much harder time applying this to my life unless I focus chapter by chapter. Also some of the quotes and historical excerpts were very advanced and left me confused often times. I often felt confused whether he was talking to me as being a seducer or simply talking about a seducer in general.

Overall I will give this book an 8/10 and I highly recommend giving it a try if you are a fan of Robert Greene’s books. I will certainly be referring to this book in the future if I ever need guidance in trying to seduce someone. You can use this book for good or for bad, like anything in life it is all on how you take action.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
If you are a western white man and believe that there are only two genders, then is this the book for you.

Honestly, this book is The Laws of Power but just rewrapped so all of the stories concern sex or romance. Like his other book, it really started to drag and sound repetitive about halfway through. Also like his other book, it was written from a starkly obvious Western male perspective. I think Robert Greene can benefit from taking a Women & Gender Studies class since he claims to be such an expert on the female mind.

[T · Rating 1 out of 5]

ale gowno

[Heather myfriendsdontread · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was even more interesting than I thought it would be.

I loved learning about historical figures like Marylin Monroe, Cleopatra, John F Kennedy, and Andy Warhol and how they seduced masses of people, made people become obsessed with them, and subtly coaxed people into doing what they wanted.

It also was very insightful about politics and human nature. It’ll make you understand how friends, exes, coworkers, celebrities, and politicians have manipulated you.

I’d really like the read the full version now, I just wanted to know what I’d be getting into first before I committed to a 20+ hour audiobook.

[Kitty Sad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the insights in this book and being able to categorise which type of “seducer” we are. It’s nice to get to know yourself better and improve. However I’m not a big fan of purposely manipulating people into liking me, using that for my own benefit and referring to those people as my “victims”. It would’ve been much nicer to find out ways to seduce people without having to manipulate them imo

[Duncan Akyeampong · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? Really good book 📖. It helped me understand that seduction is a power that we all have, and it can lead to good or bad things, but we should never be afraid of what we desire the most.

[Yahia Maged · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very boring book, asking the people to be fake and to build a weird character with no feelings or thoughts and to deal with people "victims" with coldness and harshness and to fake everything for the sake of getting the one you like, with a high chance that everything will fade one day and you have to break with them with no closure to keep them wondering all there life about what happened.
Absolutely non sense!

[UTO · Rating 3 out of 5]

واقعا نمی‌دونم چرا رابرت گرین به خودش زحمت داده این کتاب نوشته؟! کاملا مشابه کتاب 48 قانون قدرتش هست و اگر کسی بخواد در حق خودش و وقتش لطف کنه می‌تونه به اون کفایت کنه. چون نسخه کامل تری هست و قوانین فقط تو این کتاب تکرار شده خلاصه شده همون کتاب هست.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had heard of the Machiavellian Robert Greene through his 48 Laws of Power and 50 Cent collaborations so when seeing this concise edition was the shortest of his works included within an Audible trial I gave it a go. He talks of schmoozing his “victims” with charm and is a big fan of Errol Flynn and archetypes such as the siren and the dandy. I am glad this was the concise edition as the use of more examples would have been tiresome. I may well try his concise Strategies of War audiobook before the trial ends but even that edition is ten hours and twice as long as this one.

[Karan joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Art of Seduction" by Robert Greene is a captivating exploration of the timeless strategies and psychology behind seduction.

Greene delves into the nuances of seduction through historical anecdotes, psychological insights, and practical advice.

The book categorizes seduction into different archetypes, from the Siren to the Rake, illustrating each with vivid examples from history and literature.

While controversial in its approach, Greene's work challenges readers to understand the power dynamics inherent in human interactions.

It's a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in social dynamics and the intricacies of persuasion."

[greencuup · Rating 3 out of 5]

A więc tak
Świetnie się czytało, bo Greene świetnie pisze. Można się uczepić mocno "samiec alfa" określeń("ofiara", a nawet "zwierzyna"), ale w gruncie rzeczy nie są aż tak rażące podczas lektury. Z czasem, jak przyzwyczajałam się do tego stylu opwiadania, przestało mi to uwierać.
Cytaty. Cytaty to absolutnie cudowna część tej książki, zainspirowały mnie do zainteresowania się wieloma utworami i co ważniejsze osobistościami (Ninon de l'Enclos < 3333). Bez cytatów wrażenia z czytania byłyby nieporównywalnie mniej ciekawe(przynajmniej według mnie).
Jest coś, co mnie o dziwo bardzo zaskoczyło-tytuł, a bardziej fakt, że podchodzimy do niego dosłownie. Nie wiem dlaczego, ale od początku założyłam, że uwodzenie będzie swego rodzaju symbolem wpływania i manipulacji ludźmi, a nie faktycznym uwodzeniem w rozumieniu romantycznym czy erotycznym.
Ale czy to mi przeszkadzało? W gruncie rzeczy to nie
Jedyne co, to mnie to nieco zmieszało, ponieważ ku końcowi nacisk jest coraz bardziej kładziony erotyzm(całkiem logiczne).
Ale znowu, czy to źle?

Także w ogólnym rozrachunku stwierdzam, że to naprawdę przyjemna lektura(cytaty >>>>>). Podczas czytania nastawiałam się raczej na stabilne trzy gwiazdki, ale jak skończyłam stwierdzam, że jednak zostanę przy czterech(ostatecznie vibe idzie naprawdę spoko i czyta się po prostu dobrze)
dobra edit trzy dni później: jednak 3 gwiazdki

[Baniakov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Szczerze, to nie spodziewałem się, że to mnie tak pochłonie.
Greene robi coś co uwielbiam - jednocześnie mam wewnętrzna sprzeczność z poglądami autora i dogłębnie się z nim zgadzam.
Chyba mogę polecić. Czekam z niecierpliwością na Prawą Ludzkiej Natury.

[Dan Cristino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I BET YOU, IT WORKS!!!

[Sassyaqua · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry but wtf what was that… if you want to know how to be toxic you can read it. It also homophonic, misogynistic. I am sad that the author can’t see a relationship without manipulation. Bye

[Patrycja · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,8 ⭐

Uważam, że to najsłabsza z książek autora, które czytałam do tej pory. O ile przyzwyczaiłam się już do jego specyficznego, makiawelistycznego stylu pisania i drugoosobowej narracji, o tyle myślałam, że treść bardziej mnie "uwiedzie". Nie jest to zła pozycja (jeśli to pierwsze zetknięcie z autorem to ma szansę się spodobać), natomiast, biorąc pod uwagę poprzednie spotkania z Greene'em, to spodziewałam się tutaj czegoś bardziej odkrywczego. Momentami miałam wrażenie, że czytam coś już kolejny raz, a to co było względnie nowe nie było dla mnie zaskakujące. Autor często opisywał już znajome zjawiska, które po prostu odpowiednio nazwał – samo to może być dla kogoś odkrywcze, natomiast dla czytelnika zaznajomionego z innymi książkami autora, to pewnie w większości nie będzie nic nowego. Jeśli jednak ktoś miał w swoim otoczeniu przykład całkiem wprawionego manipulatora - to tutaj wymienione techniki mogą poszerzyć perspektywę / otworzyć oczy na różne zawiłości międzyludzkie.

Dla niezaznajomionych z Robertem Greene'em – styl autora jest dosyć specyficzny i nie każdemu będzie odpowiadał, natomiast, wydaje mi się, że warto się na niego nastawić przed zaczęciem którejkolwiek z jego książek, żeby po kilku stronach się nie zniechęcić. Autor korzysta z narracji drugoosobowej, zatem opisywane techniki manipulacyjne kieruje do odbiorcy (tak jakby chciał nauczyć go, jak je stosować). Nie każdemu spodoba się taka forma, bo brzmi dosyć mało moralnie i (przynajmniej dla mnie) bywa niewygodna w odbiorze. Ja czytałam tę książkę z perspektywy tego jak wykrywać takie techniki, gdy ktoś chciałby stosować je w moim otoczeniu – takie nastawienie zdecydowanie zmieniło moje podejście do stylu autora (złagodziło mi odbiór tych treści). Domyślam się jednak, że nie każdy będzie chciał czytać taką formę przekazu wiedzy.

Na plus powoływanie się na istniejące w kulturze teksty (powieści, wiersze, eseje itd.) autorów z różnych okresów historycznych, które dodatkowo ilustrowały omawianą w danym rozdziale technikę. Autor często stosuje tego rodzaju wstawki w swoich tekstach, co dla mnie osobiście powoduje, że opracowanie jest bardziej wartościowe. Na końcu książki mamy również zbiór tekstów literackich, na których bazował autor – dla osób, które chciałyby głębiej pogrzebać w temacie.

Nie odradzam tej książki, ale też nie polecam od niej zaczynać przygody z Robertem Greene'em. Jeśli ktoś miałby sięgnąć po tylko jedną pozycję tego autora to skusiłabym się raczej na "Prawa ludzkiej natury", bo choć (zdecydowanie bardziej) obszerne, to dużo bardziej treściwe i ciekawsze w odbiorze.

Btw. co do wydania z Wydawnictwa Czarna Owca - złote napisy na brzegach okładki dosyć szybko i nieestetycznie się ścierają. Uprzedzam te osoby, które chciałyby kupić książkę w papierze, że mimo ładnego, minimalistycznego wydania to nie pozostaje one takie na długo, bo już po pierwszym czytaniu brzegi wyglądają jakby książka była czytana z solidne kilkanaście razy.

[Alise Bogdanova]

grāmata rakstīta vīriešiem, bet, domāju, sievietei tādējādi diezgan efektīvi vairo izpratni par manipulāciju, tostarp emocionālu varmācību "dinamikas uzturēšanas vārdā".

ja pirmā puse šķita aizraujoša, sajūta tāda no sērijas "dejoju ar velnu, hihi" , tad otrā puse vienkārši šķebināja. "objekts, upuris" un tās metodes..

protams, daudz tur ir arī par dabisko pavedināšanas spēku, kas piemīt mums visiem, forši atrast, apzināt savus mehānismus. bet nuuu. jāatzīst, fakts, ka kāds tiešām pavedinātu tā soli pa solim, lika man sajusties visai nekomfortabli. šī varētu būt viena reize, kad priecāties, ka vīrieši nelasa.

aizverot grāmatu skaļi noteicu "jopcik" un nobāzu от греха по дальше.

[Sofia Chudzik Bauer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Da mesma forma que ele tem algumas dicas interessantes (não apenas para sedução amorosa e sexual), ele foca num curto prazo e tende para a manipulação, mentira, falsidade e exagero.
Você até vai conseguir usar as táticas pra seduzir mas ele não vai trazer nada de significativo e longo, só vai ensinar você a alimentar seu ego.
Se você não quer nada sério com ninguém, é bom, caso queira que sua sedução vire algo mais, esse livro vai ser péssimo.
Mas odeio coisas que pendem pra manipulação e mentira, então não gostei tanto assim.

[Sophie Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got the concise one because the original was far too long and had an unnecessarily extortionate amount of examples which bored the life out of me. This one was better, the first half being fantastic and very interesting, but the second half was not what I expected and was actually quite uninteresting and simply made up of basic common sense and a few loosely mentioned psychological ‘tips’ which couldn’t even really be classed as that.

[Dins Steimanis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The types of seducers were interesting and quite clear among many people I know. The suggestions and tactics were good but some quite useless, they were quite well explained and phrased and it was clear how some of them may have the intended effect, yet many seem quite useless as they cannot be mixed together often, so you would likely have to risk using just 1/2 but getting them in the right order at the right time based on the person, as each person would respond very differently

[Iguana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Idealny poradnik na to jak być toksycznym mężczyzna. Rady, które są tam zawarte nie doprowadza do niczego. Jeszcze sposób w jaki autor określa płeć przeciwną. Ofiara? My nie żyjemy w krainie zwierząt lecz w zwykłym społeczeństwie.

[Lavanya Shankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about manipulation.
So, Read this book if
1. You want to be fake and super manipulative.
2. You want to identify the fake and manipulative people around you who maybe trying to turn you into their “victims” or “puppets”

3 stars because it gets a bit repetitive.

[sincerely.leoni࿚ˋ°•*⁀➷ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book feels like self-centered manipulation.
The first part with the different kind of seduction characters was interesting but the second part about the process was narcissistic love bombing, talking about 'target' and 'victims' in a nearly dehumanising way.

[Drusia · Rating 4 out of 5]

real rating: 4,5 ⭐️

[Muscari Ștefan]

Part One: The Seductive Character
Highlight (yellow) - The Rake > Location 309
Words are a woman’s weakness, and the Rake is a master of seductive language. Stir a woman’s repressed longings by adapting the Rake’s mix of danger and pleasure.
Highlight (yellow) - The Dandy > Location 432
the Dandy
Highlight (yellow) - The Dandy > Location 434
Dandies excite us because they cannot be categorized,
Highlight (yellow) - The Dandy > Location 435
They play with masculinity and femininity; they fashion their own physical image, which is always startling; they are mysterious and elusive.
Highlight (yellow) - The Dandy > Location 436
They also appeal to the narcissism of each sex: to a woman they are psychologically female, to a man they are male.
Highlight (yellow) - The Dandy > Location 437
Use the power of the Dandy to create an ambiguous, alluring presence that stirs repressed desires.
Highlight (yellow) - The Natural > Location 578
The more you hide the sweat behind what you do, the more natural and seductive it will appear.
Highlight (yellow) - The Coquette > Location 612
How often we make this mistake, thinking our persistent presence will reassure. But Coquettes have an inherent understanding of this particular dynamic. Masters of selective withdrawal, they hint at coldness, absenting themselves at times to keep their victim off balance, surprised, intrigued.
Highlight (yellow) - The Coquette > Location 627
Self-esteem is critical in seduction. Low self-esteem repels, confidence and self-sufficiency attract. The less you seem to need other people, the more likely others will be drawn to you.
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 721
the Charismatic
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 767
If people believe you have a plan, that you know where you are going, they will follow you instinctively.
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 775
Most of us must compromise constantly to survive; saints do not. They must live out their ideals without caring about the consequences. The saintly effect bestows charisma.
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 791
Surprisingly, it is not the actor who screams the loudest or gestures the most wildly who works this magic best, but the actor who stays calm, radiating self-assurance. The effect is ruined by trying too hard.
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 795
You will first have to show that you are less inhibited than your audience— that you radiate a dangerous sexuality, have no fear of death, are delightfully spontaneous. Even a hint of these qualities will make people think you more powerful than you are.
Highlight (yellow) - The Charismatic > Location 810
Magnetism. If any physical attribute is crucial in seduction, it is the eyes. They reveal excitement, tension, detachment, without a word being spoken. The demeanor of Charismatics may be poised and calm, but their eyes are magnetic; they have a piercing gaze that disturbs their targets’ emotions, exerting force without words or action. The eyes of the Charismatic never show fear or nerves.
Part Two: The Seductive Process
Highlight (yellow) - 1. Choose the Right Victim > Location 921
The perfect victim allows for the perfect chase.
Highlight (yellow) - 1. Choose the Right Victim > Location 944
Never rush into the waiting arms of the first person who seems to like you. That is not seduction but insecurity. The need that draws you will make for a low-level attachment, and interest on both sides will sag. Look at the types you have not considered before— that is where you will find challenge and adventure.
Highlight (yellow) - 1. Choose the Right Victim > Location 949
People with a lot of time on their hands are extremely susceptible to seduction. They have mental space for you to fill.
Highlight (yellow) - 1. Choose the Right Victim > Location 950
On the other hand, you should generally avoid people who are preoccupied with business or work— seduction demands attention, and busy people have too little space in their minds for you to occupy.
Highlight (yellow) - 1. Choose the Right Victim > Location 965
Symbol:Big Game. Lions are dangerous— to hunt them is to know the thrill of risk. Leopards are clever and swift, offering the excitement of a difficult chase. Never rush into the hunt. Know your prey and choose it carefully. Do not waste time with small game— the rabbits that back into snares, the mink that walk into a scented trap. Challenge is pleasure.
Highlight (yellow) - 2. Create a False Sense of Security—Approach Indirectly > Location 997
Do not make the mistake of thinking they will lose interest unless you apply pressure, or that they will enjoy a flood of attention. Too much attention early on will actually just suggest insecurity, and raise doubts as to your motives. Worst of all, it gives your targets no room for imagination. Take a step back; let the thoughts you are provoking come to them as if they were their own.
Highlight (yellow) - 3. Send Mixed Signals > Location 1069
To capture and hold attention, you need to show attributes that go against your physical appearance, creating depth and mystery. If you have a sweet face and an innocent air, let out hints of something dark, even vaguely cruel in your character.
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Appear to Be an Object of Desire—Create Triangles > Location 1103
Few are drawn to the person whom others avoid or neglect; people gather around those who have already attracted interest. We want what other people want. To draw your victims closer and make them hungry to possess you, you must create an aura of desirability— of being wanted and courted by many.
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Appear to Be an Object of Desire—Create Triangles > Location 1124
Desirability is a social illusion. Its source is less what you say or do, or any kind of boasting or self-advertisement, than the sense that other people desire you.
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Appear to Be an Object of Desire—Create Triangles > Location 1127
Make people compete for your attention, make them see you as sought after by everyone else. The aura of desirability will envelop you.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1377
Lure the target deep into your seduction by creating the proper temptation: a glimpse of the pleasures to come. As the serpent tempted Eve with the promise of forbidden knowledge, you must awaken a desire in your targets that they cannot control.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1412
Your task, then, is to create a temptation that is stronger than the daily variety. It has to be focused on them, aimed at them as individuals— at their weakness. Understand: everyone has a principal weakness, from which others stem.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1415
Their weakness may be greed, vanity, boredom, some deeply repressed desire, a hunger for forbidden fruit. They signal it in little details that elude their conscious control: their style of clothing, an offhand comment. Their past, and particularly their past romances, will be littered with clues.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1418
A child has little power to resist. It wants everything, now, and rarely thinks of the consequences.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1424
Temptation is a twofold process. First you are coquettish, flirtatious; you stimulate a desire by promising pleasure and distraction from daily life. At the same time, you make it clear to your targets that they cannot have you, at least not right away. You are establishing a barrier, some kind of tension.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1439
Finally, the most potent temptations often involve psychological taboos and forbidden fruit. You are looking for some secret desire that will make your victim squirm uncomfortably if you hit upon it, but will tempt them all the more.
Highlight (yellow) - 8. Create Temptation > Location 1443
Then there are the masochists, the ones who secretly desire some pain. You can always tempt them by seeming difficult, challenging, even a little cruel. Keep the connection vague— you want them to grab at something elusive, something that comes out of their own mind.
Highlight (yellow) - 9. Keep Them in Suspense—What Comes Next? > Location 1467
A child is usually a willful, stubborn creature who will deliberately do the opposite of what we ask. But there is one scenario in which children will happily give up their usual willfulness: when they are promised a surprise. Perhaps it is a present hidden in a box, a game with an unforeseeable ending, a journey with an unknown destination, a suspenseful story with a surprise finish.
Highlight (yellow) - 9. Keep Them in Suspense—What Comes Next? > Location 1477
The seduced wants to be led, to be carried along like a child. If you are predictable, the charm wears off; everyday life is predictable. Your targets must never know what’s coming next— what surprises you have in store for them.
Highlight (yellow) - 10. Use the Demonic Power of Words to Sow Confusion > Location 1518
Therefore, the person who is unable to write letters and notes never becomes a dangerous seducer. —SØREN KIERKEGAARD, EITHER/ OR, TRANSLATED BY HOWARD V. HONG AND EDNA H. HONG That man that hath a tongue, I say, is no man, / If with his tongue he cannot win a woman. —WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
Highlight (yellow) - 11. Pay Attention to Detail > Location 1640
Contrast works well here: at work or at home, you might dress nonchalantly, but when you are with the target you wear something elaborate, as if you were putting on a costume. Your Cinderella transformation will stir excitement, and the feeling that you have done something just for the person you are with.
Highlight (yellow) - 11. Pay Attention to Detail > Location 1648
But what is most seductive in the long run is what you do not say, what you communicate indirectly.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1663
Remain elusive, then, so that when you are away, they will yearn to see you again, and will associate you only with pleasant thoughts.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1664
Occupy their minds by alternating an exciting presence with a cool distance, exuberant moments followed by calculated absences.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1666
The more you figure in their minds, the more they will envelop you in seductive fantasies.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1678
As the writer Angela Carter remarks, we would rather align ourselves with angels than with the higher primates from which we are actually descended.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1681
The choice we make in deciding to become involved with another person reveals something important and intimate about us: we resist seeing ourselves as having fallen for someone who is cheap or tacky or tasteless, because it reflects badly on who we are. Furthermore, we are often likely to fall for someone who resembles us in some way.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1687
What I need is a woman who is something, anything; either very beautiful or very kind or in the last resort very wicked; very witty or very stupid, but something. —ALFRED DE MUSSET
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1690
Do not spoil this golden opportunity by overexposing yourself, or becoming so familiar and banal that the target sees you exactly as you are. You do not have to be an angel, or a paragon of virtue— that would be quite boring. You can be dangerous, naughty, even somewhat vulgar, depending on the tastes of your victim. But never be ordinary or limited.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1707
Although it is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, an absence too early will prove deadly.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1707
You must surround your targets with focused attention, so that in those critical moments when they are alone, their mind is spinning with a kind of afterglow. Do everything you can to keep the target thinking about you. Letters, mementos, gifts, unexpected meetings— all these give you a poetic omnipresence. Everything must remind them of you.
Highlight (yellow) - 12. Poeticize Your Presence > Location 1711
The Halo. Slowly, when the target is alone, he or she begins to imagine a kind of faint glow around your head, formed by all of the possible pleasures you might offer, the radiance of your charged presence, your noble qualities. The Halo separates you from other people. Do not make it disappear by becoming familiar and ordinary.
Highlight (yellow) - 20. Mix Pleasure with Pain > Location 2254
The more real your cruelty, the more effective it is.
Highlight (yellow) - 20. Mix Pleasure with Pain > Location 2257
Falling in love means literally falling— losing control, a mix of fear and excitement.
Highlight (yellow) - 20. Mix Pleasure with Pain > Location 2300
Do not worry about making people angry; anger is a sure sign that you have your hooks in them. Nor should you be afraid that if you make yourself difficult people will flee— we only abandon those who bore us.
Highlight (yellow) - 23. Master the Art of the Bold Move > Location 2506
The problem is that after years of living in the real world, we lose the ability to be ourselves. We become timid, humble, over-polite.
Note - 23. Master the Art of the Bold Move > Location 2507
same w/ Spiridon
Highlight (yellow) - 23. Master the Art of the Bold Move > Location 2543
People are very susceptible to the moods of those around them;
Highlight (yellow) - 23. Master the Art of the Bold Move > Location 2555
If everyone were bold, boldness would quickly lose its allure.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2569
If you are to stay in a relationship, beware a flagging of energy, a creeping familiarity that will spoil the fantasy. If the game is to go on, a second seduction is required. Never let the other person take you for granted— use absence, create pain and conflict, to keep the seduced on tenterhooks.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2603
On the other hand it can also be pleasant: think about proving yourself all over again, paying attention to nice little details, creating new temptations. In fact you should mix the two aspects, for too much pain or pleasure will not prove seductive.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2608
Never rely on your physical charms; even beauty loses its appeal with repeated exposure. Only strategy and effort will fight off inertia.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2614
Familiarity is the death of seduction. If the target knows everything about you, the relationship gains a level of comfort but loses the elements of fantasy and anxiety. Without anxiety and a touch of fear, the erotic tension is dissolved.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2615
Remember: reality is not seductive. Keep some dark corners in your character, flout expectations, use absences to fragment the clinging, possessive pull that allows familiarity to creep in.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2624
Play up the parts of your character they find delightful, but never let them feel they know you too well.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2628
You cannot control the other person by nagging and complaining; it will make them defensive, exacerbating the problem. You will have more control if you maintain the proper spirit. Your playfulness, the little ruses you employ to please and delight them, your indulgence of their faults, will make your victims compliant and easy to handle.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2630
Never try to change your victims; instead, induce them to follow your lead.
Highlight (yellow) - 24. Beware the Aftereffects > Location 2644
Instead, try suffocating them with love and attention: be clinging and possessive yourself, moon over the lover’s every action and character trait, create the sense that this monotonous affection will go on forever. No more mystery, no more coquetry, no more retreats— just endless love.

[Iciar Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Todo vale en el amor y en la guerra

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Machiavelli updated and much more specifically detailed. Very informative. Calculated. Eye opening. Not for the feint of heart. It’s cold outside where I live but not nearly as chilly as this book. It’s a learning though. I say put on a sweater and go forth

[zuzina · Rating 2 out of 5]

przeczytałam przez tiktoka, ale jakoś nie przypadło mi to do gustu ostatecznie - warto przeczytać, żeby poznać osobowości ludzkie, ale nie jest to obowiązkowa lektura

[Åshild R · Rating 2 out of 5]

ingenting nytt eller banebrytende. måtte slite meg gjennom boka. samme om igjen med ulike ord og lite innhold. Anbefaler ikke

[laribauu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buen libro, pero que no me gustaría que cayera en malas manos…

Está bien escrito, y si lo lees con distancia puedes aprender alguna cosa útil. Sin embargo, básicamente enseña al lector un uso de la manipulación sin reparos, y me parece que no sería un libro que recomendaría ampliamente a cualquiera.

También es cierto que puede ser útil para no caer en manipulaciones ajenas.