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treatyoshelvesxo's review against another edition
I cannot rate this.
If aliens landed on earth and needed the most basic manual for luring humans to be with them.... This is what you get.
If aliens landed on earth and needed the most basic manual for luring humans to be with them.... This is what you get.
pixisox's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
1.0
I should have dnf did it feels like he's teaching you to manipulate people and he referenced Freud too many times
srijan_06's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
thaisgobbi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
It’s super interesting. Also found myself trying to match people I know with different characteristics.
It’s also interesting seeing how seduction is part of our everyday lives
It’s also interesting seeing how seduction is part of our everyday lives
pinkfluffygoat's review against another edition
Didn't like the tone, the narrative voice, lost interest very early on. Decided it wasn't worth my time, which is a shame because I have heard talks by Robert Greene and I thought his writing would follow suit.
gabbuz's review against another edition
3.0
“Many of us today imagine that sexual freedom has progressed in recent years—that everything has changed, for better or worse. This is mostly an illusion; a reading of history reveals periods of licentiousness, far in excess of what we are currently experiencing. Gender roles are certainly changing, but they have changed before. Society is in a state of constant flux, but there is something that does not change: the vast majority of people conform to whatever is normal for the time. They play the role allotted to them. Conformity is a constant, because humans are social creatures, who are always imitating one another. At certain points in history, it may be fashionable to be different and rebellious, but if a lot of people are playing that role, there is nothing different or rebellious about it. We should never complain about most people’s slavish conformity, however, for it offers untold possibilities of power and seduction to those who are up for a few risks.”
intallectual's review against another edition
1.0
It wasn’t good to me and not very engaging at all. It was like pulling teeth to listen to it, it’s a DNF for me.
ragreynolds's review against another edition
informative
reflective
2.5
This is a tough one for me to rate. It's full of interesting historical notes and observations about the human psyche, but I found that it started to get repetitive and tedious as it progressed.
The first third or so of the book was a great read, and I loved reading about the different types of seducers, but after that I found myself losing interest.
Obviously, many people are upset with this book due to the manipulative and toxic behaviours and strategies the book details, but I think those people are perhaps taking it too personally. The things written in this book are merely examples of human psychology. I think it's silly to get upset over someone analysing and pointing out how the human mind works. I think this book can actually be a good tool for identifying when other people are trying to play games with you, and also why you might feel the way you do in response to them. It should go without saying, but obviously, it's wrong to manipulate people, and if you're someone who reads this with the intention of utilising the techniques to manipulate others, I think that says a lot about your character. But in the book's defense: I don't believe something is bad just because it has the potential to be used for bad purposes.
Still, with all that said, I found myself struggling to get through the second half of the book, and so I'd probably struggle to recommend it. There was just too much repetition, and too many instances where Greene kept coming back around to the same handful of historical figures to make his points. It also didn't help that he would specifically name certain figures as being specific types of seducers, only to later start using them as examples when talking about much different types of seducers. I understand that it's possible for people to be a combination of types, but I didn't think it was the right decision here.
Glad that I'll probably never have to read about Napoleon's love life again.
The first third or so of the book was a great read, and I loved reading about the different types of seducers, but after that I found myself losing interest.
Obviously, many people are upset with this book due to the manipulative and toxic behaviours and strategies the book details, but I think those people are perhaps taking it too personally. The things written in this book are merely examples of human psychology. I think it's silly to get upset over someone analysing and pointing out how the human mind works. I think this book can actually be a good tool for identifying when other people are trying to play games with you, and also why you might feel the way you do in response to them. It should go without saying, but obviously, it's wrong to manipulate people, and if you're someone who reads this with the intention of utilising the techniques to manipulate others, I think that says a lot about your character. But in the book's defense: I don't believe something is bad just because it has the potential to be used for bad purposes.
Still, with all that said, I found myself struggling to get through the second half of the book, and so I'd probably struggle to recommend it. There was just too much repetition, and too many instances where Greene kept coming back around to the same handful of historical figures to make his points. It also didn't help that he would specifically name certain figures as being specific types of seducers, only to later start using them as examples when talking about much different types of seducers. I understand that it's possible for people to be a combination of types, but I didn't think it was the right decision here.
Glad that I'll probably never have to read about Napoleon's love life again.
genevievegenie's review against another edition
I believe the content of this book is not meant to be taken literally. The stories and example of each types are described in exaggeration to emphasize the core traits of each type, but I find that the some of the types had been forcefully crafted/redundant. Like, when I read about a particular type, I would think: “Wait, isn’t this just the same as the xxx type?” Because so many traits overlap with each other I couldn’t even see the point of it. Also, each explanations of the types are done repetitively, it gets boring to me.