"The 48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene, a book offering a cynical and pragmatic guide to acquiring, maintaining, and defending power. The text draws upon historical anecdotes featuring strategists, statesmen, courtiers, seducers, and con artists to illustrate its principles, which are presented as timeless and definitive laws. The book is structured around these individual laws, each articulated with a judgment, historical examples of transgression and observance, an interpretation of the events, and "keys to power" summarising the actionable strategies. Ultimately, the purpose is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of power dynamics and the often-unscrupulous tactics employed throughout history to achieve dominance.