The Art of Seduction

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Overview

This mesmerizing exploration of the most subtle, elusive, and effective form of power is a masterful analysis of civilization's greatest seducers, from Cleopatra to JFK, as well as the classic literature of seduction from Freud to Kierkegaard and Ovid to Casanova. Robert Greene once again identifies the rules of a timeless, amoral game and explores how to cast a spell, break down resistance, and, ultimately, compel a target to surrender. Presenting the timeless profiles of each type of seducer and the twenty-four maneuvers that will guide you step by step in the game of seduction, The Art of Seduction is an indispensable primer of persuasion that reveals the timeless power of this age-old art.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
According to Ovid, “The first thing to get in your head,/is that every single/Girl can be caught -- and you’ll catch her if/You set your toils right.” In this intensive study of the seducer’s art, bestselling author Robert Greene teaches us how to catch elusive lovers by wooing more strategically. Whether the object of your desire is cold, critical, or simply flighty, Greene’s comprehensive guide to the power games of love will teach you to draw your lover to your lair.

The first lesson in Greene’s passion primer is character; we cannot seduce without understanding our own archetypal roles and those of our swooning victims. “All we need to do to realize our potential is understand what it is in a person’s character that naturally excites people,” Greene urges. With a sense of our own charms, we become more magnetic -- we begin to draw lovers toward us almost effortlessly. Greene delicately divides seductive types into nine basic categories -- the Siren, the Rake, the Ideal Lover, the Dandy, the Natural, the Coquette, the Charmer, the Charismatic, and the Star -- and instructs us in the fine art of radiating each type’s enticing charms.

Greene next teaches us to recognize the character type of prospective seducees. With a sense of what our love objects desire, Greene hints, we can easily insinuate ourselves into their fantasies. And once we have matched our own charms to another’s longing, we are ready to take them, step by step, into our own desires. “Create a false sense of security,” Greene urges. “Send mixed signals.” The heat of seduction is caused by friction, by the thrust and recoil of emotional intimacies. With Greene’s advice, everyone can create a delicious drama in which to ensnare some darling object. All it takes, according to Greene, is a tenacious grasp of fundamental laws of seduction: the time-tested steps that we all must take to lure another.

Greene’s lessons of love are illustrated with quotations from the great masters: Ovid, Shakespeare, Baudelaire, and others. His laws are shocking, amusing -- and they encourage us to think calculatedly about the spells we cast on others. As in Greene’s bestselling 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction teaches us to manipulate others with erudition, style, and finesse. (Jesse Gale)

Library Journal

Touted as a "handbook on the most subtle and effective form of power" and "an indispensable primer on how to take what you want from whomever you want," this book is more than a little creepy. Following on the heels of his 48 Laws of Power, this book continues Greene's gross exploration of social power, this time in the realm of sexual politics. In Part 1, Greene, again paired with "packager" Joost Elffers (Play with Your Food), offers a straight-faced description of the nine types of seductive character, from the "Ideal Lover" to the "Rake." Elffers's contribution comes in the form of numerous quotes by famous contemporary and historical figures tucked into the side margins. Part 2 examines the process of seduction, subdivided into four phases, with chapter headings such as "Master the Art of Insinuation" and "Isolate the Victim." This book will have real appeal for power mongers, gold diggers, and heartless manipulators everywhere. Books such as Beverley East's Finding Mr. Write (LJ 5/1/00) and Jama Clark's What the Hell Do Women Really Want? (Island Flower, 1997) offer advice on the same subject without the distasteful exploitative emphasis. David Valencia, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780142001196
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 10/7/2003
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 496
Sales rank: 327
Product dimensions: 9.22 (w) x 6.64 (h) x 1.06 (d)

Meet the Author

Robert Greene

Robert Greene, author of the bestseller The 48 Laws of Power, has a degree in classical literature.
Joost Elffers is the packaging genius behind Viking Studio's Secret Language series, Play with Your Food, and How Are You Peeling?. He lives in New York City.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

In the year 48 B.C., Ptolemy XIV of Egypt managed to depose and exile his sister and wife, Queen Cleopatra. He secured the country's borders against her return and began to rule on his own. Later that year, Julius Caesar came to Alexandria to ensure that despite the local power struggles, Egypt would remain loyal to Rome.

discussing strategy, when a guard entered to report that a Greek merchant was at the door bearing a large and valuable gift for the Roman leader. Caesar, in the mood for a little fun, gave the merchant permission to enter. The man came in, carrying on his shoulders a large rolled-up carpet. He undid the rope around the bundle and with a snap of his wrists unfurled it—revealing the young Cleopatra, who had been hidden inside, and who rose up half clothed before Caesar and his guests, like Venus emerging from the waves.

twenty-one at the time) appearing before them suddenly as if in a dream. They were astounded at her daring and theatricality---smuggled into the harbor at night with only one man to protect her, risking everything on a bold move. No one was more enchanted than Caesar. According to the Roman writer Dio Cassius, "Cleopatra was in the prime of life. She had a delightful voice which could not fail to cast a spell over all who heard it. Such was the charm of her person and her speech that they drew the coldest and most determined misogynist into her toils. Caesar was spellbound as soon as he set eyes on her and she opened her mouth to speak." That same evening Cleopatra became Caesar's lover.

of his campaigns. But he had always disposed of them quickly to return to what really thrilled him—political intrigue, the challenges of warfare, the Roman theater. Caesar had seen women try anything to keep him under their spell. Yet nothing prepared him for Cleopatra. One night she would tell him how together they could revive the glory of Alexander the Great, and rule the world like gods. The next she would entertain him dressed as the goddess Isis, surrounded by the opulence of her court. Cleopatra initiated Caesar in the most decadent revelries, presenting herself as the incarnation of the Egyptian exotic. His life with her was a constant game, as challenging as warfare, for the moment he felt secure with her she would suddenly turn cold or angry and he would have to find a way to regain her favor.

excuses to stay in Egypt. At one point she led him on a lavish historical expedition down the Nile. In a boat of unimaginable splendor—towering fifty-four feet out of the water, including several terraced levels and a pillared temple to the god Dionysus—Caesar became one of the few Romans to gaze on the pyramids. And while he stayed long in Egypt, away from his throne in Rome, all kinds of turmoil erupted throughout the Roman Empire.

of rulers including Mark Antony, a brave soldier who loved pleasure and spectacle and fancied himself a kind of Roman Dionysus. A few years later, while Antony was in Syria, Cleopatra invited him to come meet her in the Egyptian town of Tarsus. There---once she had made him wait for her—her appearance was as startling in its way as her first before Caesar. A magnificent gold barge with purple sails appeared on the river Cydnus. The oarsmen rowed to the accompaniment of ethereal music; all around the boat were beautiful young girls dressed as nymphs and mythological figures. Cleopatra sat on deck, surrounded and fanned by cupids and posed as the goddess Aphrodite, whose name the crowd chanted enthusiastically.

pleasures she offered were hard to resist. But he also wanted to tame her—to defeat this proud and illustrious woman would prove his greatness. And so he stayed, and, like Caesar, fell slowly under her spell. She indulged him in all of his weaknesses—gambling, raucous parties, elaborate rituals, lavish spectacles. To get him to come back to Rome, Octavius, another member of the Roman triumvirate, offered him a wife: Octavius's own sister, Octavia, one of the most beautiful women in Rome. Known for her virtue and goodness, she could surely keep Antony away from the "Egyptian whore." The ploy worked for a while, but Antony was unable to forget Cleopatra, and after three years he went back to her. This time it was for good: he had in essence become Cleopatra's slave, granting her immense powers, adopting Egyptian dress and customs, and renouncing the ways of Rome.

Only one image of Cleopatra survives—a barely visible profile on a coin—but we have numerous written descriptions. She had a long thin face and a somewhat pointed nose; her dominant features were her wonderfully large eyes. Her seductive power, however, did not lie in her looks—indeed many among the women of Alexandria were considered more beautiful than she. What she did have above all other women was the ability to distract a man. In reality, Cleopatra was physically unexceptional and had no political power, yet both Caesar and Antony, brave and clever men, saw none of this. What they saw was a woman who constantly transformed herself before their eyes, a one-woman spectacle. Her dress and makeup changed from day to day, but always gave her a heightened, goddesslike appearance. Her voice, which all writers talk of, was lilting and intoxicating. Her words could be banal enough, but were spoken so sweetly that listeners would find themselves remembering not what she said but how she said it.

costumed orgies. Everything had a touch of drama and was accomplished with great energy. By the time your head lay on the pillow beside her, your mind was spinning with images and dreams. And just when you thought you had this fluid, larger-than-life woman, she would turn distant or angry, making it clear that everything was on her terms. You never possessed Cleopatra, you worshiped her. In this way a woman who had been exiled and destined for an early death managed to turn it all around and rule Egypt for close to twenty years.

rather a theatrical streak that allows a woman to embody a man's fantasies. A man grows bored with a woman, no matter how beautiful; he yearns for different pleasures, and for adventure. All a woman needs to turn this around is to create the illusion that she offers such variety and adventure. A man is easily deceived by appearances; he has a weakness for the visual. Create the physical presence of a Siren (heightened sexual allure mixed with a regal and theatrical manner) and he is trapped. He cannot grow bored with you yet he cannot discard you. Keep up the distractions, and never let him see who you really are. He will follow you until he drowns.

Norma Jean Mortensen, the future Marilyn Monroe, spent part of her childhood in Los Angeles orphanages. Her days were filled with chores and no play. At school, she kept to herself, smiled rarely, and dreamed a lot. One day when she was thirteen, as she was dressing for school, she noticed that the white blouse the orphanage provided for her was torn, so she had to borrow a sweater from a younger girl in the house. The sweater was several sizes too small. That day, suddenly, boys seemed to gather around her wherever she went (she was extremely well-developed for her age). She wrote in her diary, "They stared at my sweater as if it were a gold mine."

ridiculed by the other students, Norma Jean now sensed a way to gain attention, maybe even power, for she was wildly ambitious. She started to smile more, wear makeup, dress differently. And soon she noticed something equally startling: without her having to say or do anything, boys fell passionately in love with her. "My admirers all said the same thing in different ways," she wrote. "It was my fault, their wanting to kiss me and hug me. Some said it was the way I looked at them—with eyes full of passion. Others said it was my voice that lured them on. Still others said I gave off vibrations that floored them."

Producers would tell her the same thing: she was attractive enough in person, but her face wasn't pretty enough for the movies. She was getting work as an extra, and when she was on-screen—even if only for a few seconds—the men in the audience would go wild, and the theaters would erupt in catcalls. But nobody saw any star quality in this. One day in 1949, only twenty-three at the time and her career at a standstill, Monroe met someone at a diner who told her that a producer casting a new Groucho Marx movie, Love Happy, was looking for an actress for the part of a blond bombshell who could walk by Groucho in a way that would, in his words, "arouse my elderly libido and cause smoke to issue from my ears." Talking her way into an audition, she improvised this walk. "It's Mae West, Theda Bara, and Bo Peep all rolled into one," said Groucho after watching her saunter by. "We shoot the scene tomorrow morning." And so Marilyn created her infamous walk, a walk that was hardly natural but offered a strange mix of innocence and sex.

how to heighten the effect she had on men. Her voice had always been attractive—it was the voice of a little girl. But on film it had limitations until someone finally taught her to lower it, giving it the deep, breathy tones that became her seductive trademark, a mix of the little girl and the vixen. Before appearing on set, or even at a party, Marilyn would spend hours before the mirror. Most people assumed this was vanity—he was in love with her image. The truth was that image took hours to create. Marilyn spent years studying and practicing the art of makeup. The voice, the walk, the face and look were all constructions, an act. At the height of her fame, she would get a thrill by going into bars in New York City without her makeup or glamorous clothes and passing unnoticed.

her: the studios would only cast her as the blond bombshell. She wanted serious roles, but no one took her seriously for those parts, no matter how hard she downplayed the siren qualities she had built up. One day, while she was rehearsing a scene from The Cherry Orchard, her acting instructor, Michael Chekhov, asked her, "Were you thinking of sex while we played the scene?" When she said no, he continued, "All through our playing of the scene I kept receiving sex vibrations from you. As if you were a woman in the grip of passion.... I understand your problem with your studio now, Marilyn. You are a woman who gives off sex vibrations—no matter what you are doing or thinking. The whole world has already responded to those vibrations. They come off the movie screens when you are on them."

Marilyn Monroe loved the effect her body could have on the male libido. She tuned her physical presence like an instrument, making herself reek of sex and gaining a glamorous, larger-than-life appearance. Other women knew just as many tricks for heightening their sexual appeal, but what separated Marilyn from them was an unconscious element. Her background had deprived her of something critical: affection. Her deepest need was to feel loved and desired, which made her seem constantly vulnerable, like a little girl craving protection. She emanated this need for love before the camera; it was effortless, coming from somewhere real and deep inside. A look or gesture that she did not intend to arouse desire would do so doubly powerfully just because it was unintended—its innocence was precisely what excited a man.

Siren does. The incarnation of sex and desire, she does not bother to appeal to extraneous senses, or to create a theatrical buildup. Her time never seems to be taken up by work or chores; she gives the impression that she lives for pleasure and is always available. What separates the Sex Siren from the courtesan or whore is her touch of innocence and vulnerability. The mix is perversely satisfying: it gives the male the critical illusion that he is a protector, the father figure, although it is actually the Sex Siren who controls the dynamic.

Monroe to fill the role of the Sex Siren. Most of the physical elements are a construction; the key is the air of schoolgirl innocence. While one part of you seems to scream sex, the other part is coy and naive, as if you were incapable of understanding the effect you are having. Your walk, your voice, your manner are delightfully ambiguous—you are both the experienced, desiring woman and the innocent gamine.

The Siren is the most ancient seductress of them all. Her prototype is the goddess Aphrodite---it is her nature to have a mythic quality about her—but do not imagine she is a thing of the past, or of legend and history: she represents a powerful male fantasy of a highly sexual, supremely confident, alluring female offering endless pleasure and a bit of danger. In today's world this fantasy can only appeal the more strongly to the male psyche, for now more than ever he lives in a world that circumscribes his aggressive instincts by making everything safe and secure, a world that offers less chance for adventure and risk than ever before. In the past, a man had some outlets for these drives—warfare, the high seas, political intrigue. In the sexual realm, courtesans and mistresses were practically a social institution, and offered him the variety and the chase that he craved. Without any outlets, his drives turn inward and gnaw at him, becoming all the more volatile for being repressed. Sometimes a powerful man will do the most irrational things, have an affair when it is least called for, just for a thrill, the danger of it all. The irrational can prove immensely seductive, even more so for men, who must always seem so reasonable.

She operates on a man's most basic emotions, and if she plays her role properly, she can transform a normally strong and responsible male into a childish slave. The Siren operates well on the rigid masculine type—the soldier or hero—just as Cleopatra overwhelmed Mark Antony and Marilyn Monroe Joe DiMaggio. But never imagine that these are the only types the Siren can affect. Julius Caesar was a writer and thinker, who had transferred his intellectual abilities onto the battlefield and into the political arena; the playwright Arthur Miller fell as deeply under Monroe's spell as DiMaggio. The intellectual is often the one most susceptible to the Siren call of pure physical pleasure, because his life so lacks it. The Siren does not have to worry about finding the right victim. Her magic works on one and all.

She is by nature a rare thing, mythic, only one to a group; she is also a valuable prize to be wrested away from other men. Cleopatra made herself different through her sense of high drama; the Empress Josephine Bonaparte's device was her extreme languorousness; Marilyn Monroe's was her little-girl quality. Physicality offers the best opportunities here, since a Siren is preeminently a sight to behold. A highly feminine and sexual presence, even to the point of caricature, will quickly differentiate you, since most women lack the confidence to project such an image.

two other critical qualifies: the ability to get the male to pursue her so feverishly that he loses control; and a touch of the dangerous. Danger is surprisingly seductive. To get the male to pursue you is relatively simple: a highly sexual presence will do this quite well. But you must not resemble a courtesan or whore, whom the male may pursue only to quickly lose interest in her. Instead, you are slightly elusive and distant, a fantasy come to life. During the Renaissance, the great Sirens, such as Tullia d'Aragona, would act and look like Grecian goddesses—the fantasy of the day. Today you might model yourself on a film goddess—anything that seems larger than life, even awe inspiring. These qualifies will make a man chase you vehemently, and the more he chases, the more he will feel that he is acting on his own initiative. This is an excellent way of disguising how deeply you are manipulating him.

but danger is critical in seduction. It adds emotional spice and is particularly appealing to men today, who are normally so rational and repressed. Danger is present in the original myth of the Siren. In Homer's Odyssey, the hero Odysseus must sail by the rocks where the Sirens, strange female creatures, sing and beckon sailors to their destruction. They sing of the glories of the past, of a world like childhood, without responsibilities, a world of pure pleasure. Their voices are like water, liquid and inviting. Sailors would leap into the water to join them, and drown; or, distracted and entranced, they would steer their ship into the rocks. To protect his sailors from the Sirens, Odysseus has their ears filled with wax; he himself is tied to the mast, so he can both hear the Sirens and live to tell of it—a strange desire, since the thrill of the Sirens is giving in to the temptation to follow them.

a man today must work and follow a straight path in life. The call of something dangerous, emotional, unknown is all the more powerful because it is so forbidden. Think of the victims of the great Sirens of history: Paris causes a war for the sake of Helen of Troy, Caesar risks an empire and Anthony loses his power and his life for Cleopatra, Napoleon becomes a laughingstock over Josephine, DiMaggio never gets over Marilyn, and Arthur Miller can't write for years. A man is often ruined by a Siren, yet cannot tear himself away. (Many powerful men have a masochistic streak.) An element of danger is easy to hint at, and will enhance your other Siren characteristics—the touch of madness in Marilyn, for example, that pulled men in. Sirens are often fantastically irrational, which is immensely attractive to men who are oppressed by their own reasonableness. An element of fear is also critical; keeping a man at a proper distance creates respect, so that he doesn't get close enough to see through you or notice your weaker qualities. Create such fear by suddenly changing your moods, keeping the man off balance, occasionally intimidating him with capricious behavior.

Excerpted from the art of Seduction by Robert Greene. Copyright © 2001 by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

The Art of Seduction Acknowledgments Preface
Part One: The Seductive Character

The Siren
A man is often secretly oppressed by the role he has to play - by always having to be responsible, in control, and rational. The Siren is the ultimate male fantasy figure because she offers a total release from the limitations of his life. In her presence, which is always heightened and sexually charged, the male feels transported to a realm of pure pleasure. In a world where women are often too timid to project such an image, learn to take control of the male libido by embodying his fantasy.

The Rake
A woman never quite feels desired and appreciated enough. She wants attention, but a man is too often distracted and unresponsive. The Rake is a great female fantasy-figure - when he desires a woman, brief though that moment may be, he will go to the ends of the earth for her. He may be disloyal, dishonest, and amoral, but that only adds to his appeal. Stir a woman's repressed longing by adapting the Rake's mix of danger and pleasure.

The Ideal Lover
Most people have dreams in their youth that get shattered or worn down with age. They find themselves disappointed by people, events, reality, which cannot match their youthful ideals. Ideal Lovers thrive on people's broken dreams, which become lifelong fantasies. You long for romance? Adventure? Lofty spiritual communioin? The Ideal Lover reflects your fantasy. He or she is an artist in creating the illusion you require. In a world of disenchantment and baseness, there is limitless seductive power in following the path of the Ideal Lover.

The Dandy
Most of us feel trapped within the limited role that the world expects us to play. We are instantly attracted to those who are more fluid than we are - those who create their own persona. Dandies excite us because they cannot be categorized, and hint at a freedom we want for ourselves. They play with masculinity and femininity; they fashion their own physical image, which is always startling. Use the power of the Dandy to create an ambiguous, alluring presence that stirs repressed desires.

The Natural
Childhood is the golden paradise we are always consciously or unconsciously trying to re-create. The Natural embodies the longed-for qualities of childhood - spontaneity, sincerity, unpretentiousness. In the presence of Naturals, we feel at ease, caught up in their playful spirit, transported back to that golden age. Adopt the pose of the Natural to neutralize people's defensivenss and infect them with helpless delight.

The Coquette
The ability to delay satisfaction is the ultimate art of seducction - while waiting, the victim is held in thrall. Coquettes are the grand masters of the game, orchestrating a back-and-forth movement between hope and frustration. They bait with the promise of reward - the hope of physical pleasure, happiness, fame by association, power - all of which, however, proves elusive; yet this only makes their targets pursue them the more. Imitate the alternating heat and coolness of the Coquette and you will keep the seduced at your heels.

The Charmer
Charm is seduction without sex. Charmers are consummate manipulators, masking their cleverness by creating a mood of pleasure and comfort. Their method is simple: They deflect attention from themselves and focus it on their target. They understand your spirit, feel your pain, adapt to your moods. In the presence of a Charmer you feel better about yourself. Learn to cast the Charmer's spell by aiming at people's primary weaknesses: vanity and self-esteem.

The Charismatic
Charisma is a presence that excites us. It comes from an inner quality - self-confidence, sexual energy, sense of purpose, contentment - that most people lack and want. This quality radiates outward, permeating the gestures of Charismatics, making them seem extraordinary and superior. They learn to heighten their charisma with a piercing gaze, fiery oratory, an air of mystery. Create the charismatic illusion by radiating intensity while remaining detached.

The Star
Daily life is harsh, and most of us constantly seek escape from it in fantasies and dreams. Stars feed on this weakness; standing out from others through a distinctive and appealing style, they make us want to watch them. At the same time, they are vague and ethereal, keeping their distance, and letting us imagine more than is there. Their dreamlike quality works on our unconscious. Learn to become an object of fascination by projecting the glittering but elusive presence of the Star.

The Anti-Seducer
Seducers draw you in by the focused, individualized attention they pay to you. Anti-seducers are the opposite: insecure, self-absorbed, and unable to grasp the psychology of another person, they literally repel. Anti-Seducers have no self-awareness, and never realize when they are pestering, imposing, talking too much. Root out anti-seductive qualities in yourself, and recognize them in others - there is no pleasure or profit in dealing with the Anti-Seducer.

The Seducer's Victims - The Eighteen Types

Part Two: The Seductive Process
PHASE ONE: SEPARATION - STIRRING INTEREST AND DESIRE

1. Choose the Right Victim
Everything depends on the target of your seduction. Study your prey throughly, and choose only those who will prove susceptible to your charms. The right victims are those for whom you can fill a void, who see in you something exotic. They are often isolated or unhappy, or can easily be made so - for the completely contented person is almost impossible to seduce. The perfect victim has some quality that inspires strong emotions in you, making your seductive manuevers seem more natural and dynamic. The perfect victim allows for the perfect chase.

2. Create a False Sense of Security - Approach Indirectly
If you are too direct early on, you risk stirring up a resistance that will never be lowered. At first there must be nothing of the seducer in your manner. The seduction should begin at an angle, indirectly, so that the target only gradually becomes aware of you. Haunt the periphery of your target's life - approach through a third party, or seem to cultivate a relatively neutral relationship, moving gradually from friend to lover. Lull the target into feeling secure, then strike.

3. Send Mixed Signals
Once people are aware of your presence, and perhaps vaguely intrigued, you need to stir their interest before it settles on someone else. Most of us are much too obvious - instead, be hard to figure out. Send mixed signals: both tough and tender, both spiritual and earthly, both innocent and cunning. A mix of qualities suggests depth, which fascinates even as it confuses. An elusive, enigmatic aura will make people want to know more, drawing them into your circle. Create such a power by hinting at something contraditory within you.

4. Appear to Be an Object of Desire - Create Triangles
Few are drawn to the person whom others avoid or neglect; people gather around those who have already attracted interest. To draw your victims closer and make them hungry to possess you, you must create an aura of desirability - of being wanted and courted by many. It will become a point of vanity for them to be the preferred object of your attention, to win you away from a crowd of admirers. Build a reputation that precedes you: If many have succumbed to your charms, there must be a reason.

5. Create a Need - Stir Anxiety and Discontent
A perfectly satisfied person cannot be seduced. Tension and disharmony must be instilled in your targets' minds. Stir within them feelings of discontent, an unhappiness with their circumstances and with themselves. The feelings of inadequacy that you create will give you space to insinuate yourself, to make them see you as the answer to their problems. Pain and anxiety are the proper precursors to pleasure. Learn to manufacture the need that you can fill.

6. Master the Art of Insinuation
Making your targets feel dissatisfied and in need of your attention is essential, but if you are too obvious, they will see through you and grow defensive. There is no known defense, however, against insinuation - the art of planting ideas in people's minds by dropping elusive hints that take root days later, even appearing to them as their own idea. Create a sublanguage - bold statements followed by retraction and apology, ambiguous comments, banal talk combined with alluring glances - that enters the target's unconscious to convey your real meaning. Make everything suggestive.

7. Enter Their Spirit
Most people are locked in their own worlds, making them stubborn and hard to persuade. The way to lure them out of their shell and set up your seduction is to enter their spirit. Play by their rules, enjoy what they enjoy, adapt yourself to their moods. In doing so you will stroke their deep-rooted narcissism and lower their defenses. Indulge your targets' every mood and whim, giving them nothing to react against or resist. 8. Create Temptation
Lure the target deep into your seduction by creating the proper temptation: a glimpse of the pleasures to come. As the serpent tempted Eve with the promise of forbidden knowledge, you must awaken a desire in your targets that they cannot control. Find that weakness of theirs, that fantasy that has yet to be realized, and hint that you can lead them toward it. The key is to keep it vague. Stimulate a curiosity stronger than the doubts and anxieties that go with it, and they will follow you. PHASE TWO: LEAD ASTRAY - CREATING PLEASURE AND CONFUSION
9. Keep Them in Suspense - What Comes Next?
The moment people feel they know what to expect from you, your spell on them is broken. More: You have ceded them power. The only way to lead the seduced along and keep the upper hand is to create suspense, a calculated surprise. Doing something they do not expect from you will give them a delightful sense of spontaneity - they will not be able to foresee what comes next. You are always one step ahead and in control. Give the victim a thrill with a sudden change of direction. 10. Use the Demonic Power of Words to Sow Confusion
It is hard to make people listen; they are consumed with their own thoughts and desires, and have little time for yours. The trick to making them listen is to say what they want to hear, to fill their ears with whatever is pleasant to them. This is the essence of seductive language. Inflame people's emotions with loaded phrses, flatter them, comfort their insecurities, envelop them in sweet words and promises, and not only will they listen to you, they will lose their will to resist you. 11. Pay Attention to Detail
Lofty words of love and grand gestures can be suspicious: Why are you trying so hard to please? The details of a seduction - the subtle gestures, the offhand things you do - are often more charming and revealing. You must learn to distract your victims with a myriad of pleasant little rituals - thoughtful gifts tailored just for them, clothes and adornments designed to please them, gestures that show the time and attention you are paying them. Mesmerized by what they see, they will not notice what you are really up to. 12. Poeticize Your Presence
Important things happen when your targets are alone: The slightest feeling of relief that you are not there, and it is all over. Familiarity and overexposure will cause this reaction. Remain elusive, then. Intrigue your targets by alternating an exciting presence with a cool distance, exuberant moments followed by calculated absences. Associate yourself with poetic images and objects, so that when they think of you, they begin to see you through an idealized halo. The more you figure in their minds, the more they will envelop you in seductive fantasies. 13. Disarm Through Strategic Weakness and Vulnerability
Too much manuevering on your part may raise suspicion. The best way to cover your tracks is to make the other person feel superior and stronger. If you seem to be weak, vulnerable, enthralled by the other person, and unable to control yourself, you will make your actions look more natural, less calculated. Physical weakness - tears, bashfulness, paleness - will help create the effect. Play the victim, then transform your target's sympathy into love. 14. Confuse Desire and Reality - The Perfect Illusion
To compensate for the difficulties in their lives, people spend a lot of their time daydreaming, imagining a future full of adventure, success, and romance. If you can create the illusion that through you they can live out their dreams, you will have them at your mercy. Aim at secret wishes that have been thwarted or repressed, stirring up uncontrollable emotions, clouding their powers of reason. Lead the seduced to a point of confusion in which they can no longer tell the difference between illusion and reality. 15. Isolate the Victim
An isolated person is weak. By slowly isolating your victims, you make them more vulnerable to your influence. Take them away from their normal milieu, friends, family, home. Give them the sense of being marginalized, in limbo - they are leaving one world behind and entering another. Once isolated like this, they have no outside support, and in their confusion they are easily led astray. Lure the seduced into your lair, where nothing is familiar. PHASE THREE: THE PRECIPICE - DEEPENING THE EFFECT THROUGH EXTREME MEASURES
16. Prove Yourself
Most people want to be seduced. If they resist your efforts, it is probably because you have not gone far enough to allay their doubts - about your motives, the depth of your feelings, and so on. One well-timed action that shows how far you are willing to go to win them over will dispel their doubts. Do not worry about looking foolish or making a mistake - any kind of deed that is self-sacrificing and for your targets' sake will so overwhelm their emotions, they won't notice anything else. 17. Effect a Regression
People who have experienced a certain kind of pleasure in the past will try to repeat or relive it. The deepest-rooted and most pleasurable memories are usually those from earliest childhood, and are often unconsciously associated with a parental figure. Bring your targets back to that point by placing yourself in the oedipal triangle and positioning them as the needy child. Unaware of the cause of their emotional response, they will fall in love with you. 18. Stir Up the Transgressive and Taboo
There are alway social limits on what one can do. Some of these, the most elemental taboos, go back centuries; others are more superficial, simply defining polite and acceptable behavior. Making your targets feel that you are leading them past either kind of limit is immensely seductive. People yearn to explore their dark side. Once the desire to transgress draws your targets to you, it will be hard for them to stop. Take them farther than they imagined - the shared feeling of guilt and complicity will create a powerful bond. 19. Use Spiritual Lures
Everyone has doubts and insecurities - about their body, their self-worth, their sexuality. If your seduction appeals exclusively to the physical, you will stir up these doubts and make your targets self-conscious. Instead, lure them out of their insecurities by making them focus on something sublime and spiritual: a religious experience, a lofty work of art, the occult. Lost in a spiritual mist, the target will feel light and uninhibited. Deepen the effect of your seduction by making its sexual culmination seem like the spiritual union of two souls. 20. Mix Pleasure with Pain
The greatest mistake in seduction is being too nice. At first, perhaps, your kindness is charming, but it soon grows monotonous; you are trying too hard to please, and seem insecure. Instead of overwhelming your targets with niceness, try inflicting some pain. Make them feel guilty and insecure. Instigate a breakup - now a rapprochement, a return to your earlier kindness, will turn them weak at the knees. The lower the lows you create, the greater the highs. To heighten the erotic charge, create the excitement of fear. PHASE FOUR: MOVING IN FOR THE KILL
21. Give Them Space to Fall - The Pursuer Is Pursued
If your targets become too used to you as the aggressor, they will give less of their own energy, and the tension will slacken. You need to wake them up, turn the tables. Once they are under your spell, take a step back and they will start to come after you. Hint that you are growing bored. Seem interested in someone else. Soon they will want to possess you physically, and restraint will go out the window. Create the illusion that the seducer is being seduced. 22. Use Physical Lures
Targets with active minds are dangerous: If they see through your manipulations, they may suddenly develop doubts. Put their minds gently to rest, and waken their dormant senses, by combining a nondefensive attitude with a charged sexual presence. While your cool, nonchalant air is lowering their inhibitions, your glances, voice, and bearing - oozing sex and desire - are getting under their skin and raising their temperature. Never force the physical; instead inflect your targets with heat, lure them into lust. Morality, judgment, and concern for the future will all melt away. 23. Master the Art of the Bold Move
A moment has arrived: Your victim clearly desires you, but is not ready to admit it openly, let alone act on it. This is the time to throw aside chivalry, kindness and coquetry and to overwhelm with a bold move. Don't give the victim time to consider the consequences. Showing hesitation or awkwardness means you are thinking of yourself, as opposed to being overwhelmed by the victim's charms. One person must go on the offensive, and it is you. 24. Beware the Aftereffects
Danger follows in the aftermath of a successful seduction. After emotions have reached a pitch, they often swing in the opposite direction - toward lassitude, distrust, disappointment. If you are to part, make the sacrifice swift and sudden. If you are to stay in a relationship, beware a flagging of energy, a creeping familiarity that will spoil the fantasy. A second seduction is required. Never let the other person take you for granted - use absence, create pain and conflict, to keep the seduced on tenterhooks.

Appendix A: Seductive Environment/Seductive Time Appendix B: Soft Seduction: How to Sell Anything to the Masses Selected Bibliography Index

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Anonymous

Posted October 30, 2007

A Radical Psychological Expose

For folklore, and romantic to treacherous seduction, Greene's historical tale here is a work of art. This is a sardonic, yet often profound view of the use of persuasion and influence, in situations that are borderline a tad unnerving. This book is a synthesis of philosophy and psychology, and is paradigm breaking. Freud must have had a similar unnerving effect on his contemporaries when he discussed premises for behavior that were previously not part of social discourse. The author expands his global metaphor of 'life as war' from his book the 48 Laws of Power into love and spirituality! This may not be the most effective metaphor for everyone to use, with all of the paranoid, elitist women in today's culture. But it sure is interesting. Lots of conflict and struggles, and subconscious steering of ones emotions. For the modern Casanova, Greene's seduction stories are far too dated and chivalrous to translate into today's world, but rest assured they are in a word, fascinating. I found that it's uses were not applicable so much in the modern era of women and the entitlement mentality. If you like a comparable use of sexual influence, toying and subconscious steering of ones emotions to lure in women, I suggest The Professional Bachelor Dating Guide - How to Exploit Her Inner Psycho by Dr. Tate. It encompasses very effective persuasion tactics to entice your targets and victims, who, let's be realistic, want to be seduced, or they wouldn't allow it to happen.

6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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undercovermillionaire

Posted October 19, 2009

more from this reviewer

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Highly recommended... depending on your goal

Regardless of whether one finds the seduction methods Mr. Greene proposes useful, The Art of Seduction is filled with fascinating historical examples of different personality types, and for this reason alone I recommend this book. That being said, the book is useful only insofar as you are 1.) male, 2.) relatively new to the concept of behaviour modification in response to different personalities, and 3.) in a relationship with an individual who clearly fits one of the eighteen types Mr. Greene identifies.

If you are none of the above, then I suspect you will enjoy this book nonetheless; however, its usefulness for you may be diminished. If you are a woman looking for methods of enjoying more successful relationships with men, I recommend reading Sherry Argov's Why Men Love B*tches in conjunction with The Art of Seduction. This will provide a more well-rounded approach to your situation, and will make you a virtual savant in relationships.

~KV

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted May 18, 2009

Didn't seduce me

The biggest problem I had with Mr. Greene's book was that he reduces seduction down to simple psychology instead of what it is, an art. Yes, he did his research about the great seducers of history, but he analyzes it in such a logical manner (as if love and seduction were logical) that it didn't convince me. He lists several seduction strategies and personalities and asks you to find your style as if it were a pair of shoes, and tries to make you believe that if you follow his step-by-step guide you'll seduce anyone. Well, I have to disagree with him. I think it takes a lot more than just being psychologically dexterous to seduce a person. If it were as easy as getting a Masters Degree in psychology, everyone in the mental health profession would have an enviable love life, and I truly don't think that is the case.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted June 6, 2006

You must remember this...

This book is topflight!! Anyone who thinks other wise is only confirming deep-rooted timidity within themselves. The research based examples serve as reminders that the laws of seduction have been in place since the beginning of time. The only problem has been that we humans have been too blind to see them enforced in our worlds around us.I can't say enough about this MASTERPIECE. It is truly the art of war for delicate times. Who can ever win such a war of the hearts unless he has the right tools for battle? I say this book could turn millions of minds on if people took time to absorb the knowledge that oozes from its pages. All those who think otherwise are more than likely stuck in a mental rut and have become bogged down with their own personal boring routines... If you read nothing else to improve your self-image, Self-confidence--Gentlemen I strongly recommend this one for your library!!! I have no doubts that you will refer to it often whether it be for knowledge or leisure reading...We all need to know these things if we are to be successful in the arena of love and passion... If you are smart you will take some time to learn the game that women have played on us for centuries

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted July 7, 2005

Among the best I've ever seen

If you just want to get laid there are many easier books out there which can help you accomplish that. However, if you really want to know how to get under someone's skin there is no better book. This book is not evil. this book is a technology. It is a lot like a chainsaw. If you use a chainsaw for what it was meant to be used for, you can do things with it that are great- you can cut down the tree that is about to fall on your house, you can cut timber to build a new one, or even get some wood for a cozy fire. However, we also all know that we can use a chainsay for purposes that are evil. You can use this information for good or for evil. The choice is up to you. This book will show you the character traits that people love and how to use them for mutual benefit. It will help you learn how to give and receive pleasure. If you want to use these techniques for self enrichment, you can do that too. The number one lesson of the book for women is that any woman can seduce almost any man if she is a sexual woman, a fun playmate, and looks for the best in a men and draws it out. Any man will fall in love with a woman like that. Likewise, for a man, almost any woman will fall in love with a man who is able to express his sexual desires in a classy way, who is able to relax and let a woman feel attached to him, who provides romance, and who pays attention to her. The book clearly spells uout the fact that we are seduced by that which we are missing. Nobody wants to be around those who are insecure or are simply miserable SOB's. We love those people who are able to create their own reality which is fun, happy, and pleasant. We love the people who only see the good in us and not the bad- those who make us feel good about ourselves. Finally, seducers are able to indirectly create interest and desire, enter the spirit of the other person, go out on a limb for others, lead the other person astray, provide pleasure, pull back a little to make the other person chase them, and finally make the bold move to seal the deal. This book gives examples of how the world's most seductive people have done these things, sometimes for their own benefit, and sometimes for mutual benefit. How you use the techniques and develop your own personality is up to you. This book helps you understand those people around you. You will be able to help them root out components of their personality that hurt them. If I could give the book 10 stars I would. It is neither good nor evil. It is about the truth about hman nature. How you use its wisdom is up to you.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 19, 2008

I Also Recommend:

Wow--lots of good useful info for men.

This book will clear up a lot of issues you might have and misconceptions about the art of seduction. Mr. Greene really knows what he's talking about and you can tell it as you read. The book is in-depth and a real eye opener.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted July 19, 2008

My god...

It doesn't matter whether you think this book is made from pure evil or not. This book speaks of truth, undeniable truth. I learned things about myself through this book, about why I loved my ex so much and what mistakes I made in trying to get her back. Like all power it can be used for evil, but it may also be used for good.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 11, 2007

If you ain't got it, you're Wrong!

Best Book in the History of the world, with the exception of the Bible obviously. Go and collect His other 2 selections, The 48 Laws of Power, and the 33 Strategies of War.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted July 25, 2005

Fabulous

Exquisitely written, packed with useful, real-world tips and historical examples ranging from Cleopatra to Bill Clinton. Don't be fooled by the title - the books lessons can be applied in business, politics, work, family, friends, co-workers, not just significant others. If you have superbly high morals and are offended at the appearance of anything but innocence, this book isn't for you. But if you're are sharp, witty, intelligent and cunning and would like to know how to get what you want easier, quicker and better - its a MUST READ.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted December 19, 2001

One hell of a book

Not just about sexual seduction but about social seduction. Baiting and setting the hook in people in general. I read it once and now I'm reading it again.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 21, 2008

A reviewer

First and foremost, this book is not for the faint of hearts. It is NOT for the individual searching for 'a knight in shining armour'. This book forces individuals to think critically of how they fall into the game of seduction. A game that has been around for years and will be around for years to come. There is usefulness to the book, what is it to you, I can not say. But, for me, as stated above, I understand a bit more as to where I fall in the game of seduction.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted March 12, 2007

a reviewer

As is only appropriate, this small volume is sleek and appealing, with a glossy cover that draws the eye. It begs to be opened. Go ahead - the reward is a bonbon box full of clever diversions that might be handy if you use them right, a bit naughty if you don't, and even slyly humorous if you catch the whiff of satire. The text is broken into small - dare one say it, intimate? - morsels that you can read in stolen snatches of time. Author Robert Greene's observations on how to seduce (that is, persuade) are bordered with quotations from authors, philosophers and lovers, all offering entertaining support. However, potential seducers should note two key points. First, while Greene delivers his advice in terms of sexual seduction, if you are careful and interpretative, you may be able to apply pieces of it to general persuasion, including in business. On the downside, many of his techniques are pointedly sexy, over-the-top, amoral or manipulative. We thus recommend this book to those who study human nature for its own sake and for fun those who will apply or modify any techniques to attain power over others or those with the self-discipline to glean the gems, but turn away from taking unethical or illegal advantage.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 16, 2007

fascinating history of seduction

Robert Green¿s 48 Laws of Power is probably in the CEO offices of half the Fortune 500. The follow up Art of Seduction is quite interesting and intriguing to me, but it like it for reasons that may not have been the prominent intention. It gives fascinating tales about the great seducers and their techniques, most of which took place several hundred years ago. I was glued to my seat reading them, as Victorian era non-fiction is rarely covered by a modern writer, and certainly not by one of Mr. Greene¿s talent. The book was intended to draw easy parallels from lessons of the past and how they can be used to help men in the modern era in the pick up arena. I didn¿t find the concept translated well. The situations, and styles were simply too elaborate and flowery to apply in the fast paced world of girls full of the entitlement mentality. I would recommend Tate¿s The Professional Bachelor for modern era psychoanalytical persuasive seduction for that. As for this title, I would highly recommend the Art of Seduction for my reasons stated. Immensely researched stories from a highly romantic era in time, when chivalry was truly an art form. I¿ve been reading Greene¿s blog, and hope he follows through with the idea he¿s floating around.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 3, 2007

Great Book With Many Applications

I was a little skeptical about this book, but it turned out to be a fantastic read. True, it does come off as a bit amoral, but the lessons taught can be applied to interactions of all sorts. Greene does a fantastic job of supporting examples that include not just sexual seduction but ones of politics and personal succcess as well.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted September 18, 2006

Advanced seduction for the bold: how to persuade every time

As is only appropriate, this small volume is sleek and appealing, with a glossy cover that draws the eye. It begs to be opened. Go ahead - the reward is a bonbon box full of clever diversions that might be handy if you use them right, a bit naughty if you don¿t, and even slyly humorous if you catch the whiff of satire. The text is broken into small - dare one say it, intimate? - morsels that you can read in stolen snatches of time. Author Robert Greene¿s observations on how to seduce (that is, persuade) are bordered with quotations from authors, philosophers and lovers, all offering entertaining support. However, potential seducers should note two key points. First, while Greene delivers his advice in terms of sexual seduction, if you are careful and interpretative, you may be able to apply pieces of it to general persuasion, including in business. On the downside, many of his techniques are pointedly sexy, over-the-top, amoral or manipulative. We thus recommend this book to those who study human nature for its own sake and for fun those who will apply or modify any techniques to attain power over others or those with the self-discipline to glean the gems, but turn away from taking unethical or illegal advantage.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 6, 2006

A Fun, And Very Flirtatious Read

I had such a great time reading this book, that I'm actually picking it up again and reading it! The book is rather seductive itself by not only offering some rather interesting advice, but it also touches on the history of some of the world's most famous seducers. These are not techniques that I would suggest that one do in real life though, but I would suggest it if someone were looking for something fun - and incredibly engaging to read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted December 29, 2004

The seducers book for thinkers

What a really great read, it shows how to be cunning and calculating. As far as the book being debased is up to each indivual reader. This is a book for thinkers not those that will prejudge by their own sinster morals that may seek to turn everything evil. Everything in this book can be used for the delicious game of seduction, if one chooses to be malicious thats there choice. It is my opinion therefore that one may choose to still keep their morals and creatively think how they can use many of the ideas in this book to their advantage. There are many history lessons as well that are amazing. Those looking for a 'how to' book this ain't it. However if your looking to break out of the main stream and dazzle them with you own unique magic grab this book now!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 18, 2004

I Call It My Wish Book

This book is so advanced and filled with truth. I apply it in my every day life and I see results. This book can work with single women and you're wife or girlfriend. From making women feel happy to making them feel sorry for you. Mix emotions are best for seducing.To dressing to impress, women love a well dressed man. I even get women stird up with deep eye contact. This book just made me a better player.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 14, 2003

you'd be suprised

Review after review claims that this to too 'creepy', harsh or just too evil. It strikes me as quite odd. My impression is the total opposite. There is one thing con artist, manipulators and seducers all have in common: They understand basic human nature. Many of these things we don't want to admitt to, but they are true. Reflecting upon yourself while reading this book will reveal as much, if your honest with yourself. While many will be 'seduced' into using this 'power' for their own gain, if one is so inclined, he/she could use it for great good. The anonymous gift is often the most rewarding, right? Well 'the art of seduction' allows you to do just that. (assuming you don't have the need to make sure everyone knows how 'nice' you are) 'The art of Seduction' has opened doors in my life, taught me things that only years of experience and deep reflection could give me. It is not only about sexual seduction. It's about communicating in a different way, a more productive way. If all you can think about is deception while you glance through, then that is what you will use it for. Read it. Have an open and honest mind. Learn from what history has whispered. The question is, will you let this power improve your life and others around you, or will you use it to simply take what you want, without care to others?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted June 20, 2002

Great Book

I found the book more than interesting. It is filled with great facts and historical quotes. Some might complain that the book lacks morals, but what place do morals have in the game of seduction?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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A Radical Psychological Expose

Highly recommended... depending on your goal

Didn't seduce me

You must remember this...

Among the best I've ever seen

Wow--lots of good useful info for men.

My god...

If you ain't got it, you're Wrong!

Fabulous

One hell of a book

A reviewer

a reviewer

fascinating history of seduction

Great Book With Many Applications

Advanced seduction for the bold: how to persuade every time

A Fun, And Very Flirtatious Read

The seducers book for thinkers

I Call It My Wish Book

you'd be suprised

Great Book