Everyone is playing power games all the time. Even by denying that you're playing the game or saying you're opting out of the game can be a power move. So why should you read this book? "If the game of power is inescapable, better to be an artist than a denier or a bungler," Robert Greene writes. When I first started listening to this book, I was uncomfortable with the idea of playing power games; I was a denier and probably a bungler, too. I can't say that I'm a master now, but at least I know I'm playing the game. This book is a fascinating look at the many ways people have gained and lost power, though it's quite a heavy read and the pace can be plodding at times. There's also a Concise 48 Laws of Power - perhaps that version is a better reading experience. Despite this negative, the takeaways from the 48 Laws are eyeopening.