The 33 Strategies of War

The 33 Strategies of War is a personal development and self-help book. It was written by American author Robert Greene in 2006. It is composed of discussions and examples of offensive and defensive strategies from a wide variety of people and conditions, applying them to social conflicts such as family quarrels and business negotiations.^[1][2]

The 33 Strategies of War

Author	Robert Greene
Language	English
Genre	Business, management, military history, psychology, self-improvement
Publisher	Penguin Group (HC); HighBridge Audio (CD)
Publication date	January and April 2006
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover) and CD
Pages	496
ISBN	0-670-03457-6 (HC); 978-1-59887-091-6 (CD)
Preceded by	The Art of Seduction
Followed by	The 50th Law

Reception

The Independent said Greene has set himself up as "a modern-day Machiavelli" but that "it is never clear whether he really believes what he writes or whether it is just his shtick, an instrument of his will to shift £20 hardbacks" and concludes "There is something less than adult about it all."^[3] Admiral James G. Stavridis said the book had good breadth, but it lacked depth.^[4] Leadership theorist and author John Adair said Greene "shows a poor grasp of the subject" and the book is based on the flawed "assumption that the art of military strategy and the art of living are comparable".^[5] Booklist said the book was repetitive, lacked a sense of humor, and had an annoying "quasi-spiritual tone".^[6] NBA player Chris Bosh stated that his favorite book is The 33 Strategies of War.^[7][8][9] The book has been banned by several US prisons.^[10]

The book was described by one reviewer as having "far too many duff sentences",^[3] such: "Your goal is to blend philosophy and war, wisdom and battle, into an unbeatable blend."^[3][11] It has sold more than 200,000 copies.^[12]

See also

• On War
• The Art of War
• The Book of Five Rings
• Thirty-Six Stratagems

References

1. Fearn, Nicholas (March 5, 2006), "The 33 Strategies of War, by Robert Greene", The Independent, retrieved August 15, 2018
2. Lee, Eloise (May 4, 2012). "33 War Strategies That Will Help You Win Everything In Life". Business Insider. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
3. Fearn, Nicholas (March 5, 2006). "The 33 Strategies of War, by Robert Greene". The Independent.
4. Stavridis, Jim (2006), The 33 Strategies of War, U.S. Naval Institute, retrieved January 12, 2014
5. Adair, John (2006), All is fair in work and war?, Management Today, retrieved January 12, 2014 alternative URL
6. Driscoll, Brendan (2006), The 33 Strategies of War, Booklist, retrieved January 12, 2014
7. Tice, Carol. All’s Fair?. Entrepreneur. November 1, 2006.
8. Green, Mark (January 12, 2012). "Not a Third Wheel: A GQ&A with Chris Bosh". GQ.
9. Mirchandini, Raakhee (January 5, 2007). "The Merchant of Menace". The New York Post.
10. Books Banned in U.S. Prisons Featured at Minneapolis Art Festival (video), Unicorn Riot Media, June 25, 2018
11. Greene, The 33 Strategies of War, preface, pXX.
12. Robert Greene Interview, Part 1. Power Seduction and War. July 7, 2006.

External links

• 33 Strategies of War interview featuring Robert Greene