Includes bibliographical references (pages 589-592) and index.

Robert Greene's bestselling 48 Laws of Power (1988) distilled ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding, and mastery. Now he turns to understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose.