Robert Greene

Robert Greene was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 14, 1959, and studied classical studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison after attending the University of California, Berkeley for part of his undergraduate education. Before becoming an author he worked a variety of jobs — including construction worker, translator, magazine editor, and Hollywood story developer/writer — and spent time living and working in cities such as London, Paris, Barcelona, and at Fabrica, an art and media school in Italy where he met book packager Joost Elffers. Greene developed the idea for his first book while observing recurring patterns of behavior among powerful people and during his time working in Hollywood and at Fabrica; his proposal and collaboration with Joost Elffers led to the publication of The 48 Laws of Power in 1998, which became an international bestseller and brought Greene wide attention. The book distills historical anecdotes and quotations into forty-eight “laws” about acquiring, maintaining, and defending power, and it has been influential (and controversial) across business, entertainment, and political circles. Over the next two decades Greene continued to publish books that apply historical and psychological analysis to modern personal and professional development, including The Art of Seduction (2001), The 33 Strategies of War (2006), The 50th Law (2011, co-written with rapper 50 Cent), Mastery (2012), The Laws of Human Nature (2018), and The Daily Laws (2021). His work is often cited by business leaders, creatives, and public figures, and his books have been translated into many languages; some institutions (notably many U.S. prisons) have even banned his books for security reasons, illustrating both the reach and the contentious reception of his ideas. Greene continues to lecture, give interviews, and participate in public conversations about strategy, creativity, leadership, and human behavior; his writing sits at the intersection of history, psychology, and practical advice, and it has influenced readers across industries from music and entertainment to business and government.