"THE ART OF SEDUCTION" : Robert Greene

In this book, Greene looks at seduction as a power play devoid of emotions, referring to the person being seduced as "the victim". While this may sound repulsive to a more romantic mind, the key is to understand that seduction is all about "power" and not "love". If you get that straight then this book will prove to be an excellent read.

Greene systematically enumerates the different types of personalities of an individual and analyses how those traits contribute to the process of seduction which he breaks down into several steps. While there is nothing novel in the contents of the book - anyone who's had a brush with the opposite sex knows all the standard practices of "showering compliments", "weaving a mysterious atmosphere around oneself" and stuff - it is really helpful to gather all the thoughts and expertise into a ordered form.

Moreover, there are times when we, as the seduced, are blinded by the seducer's calculated actions. This book offers those of us a wonderful reality check. Citations from history, quotations from classical literature (Ovid etc. ) on the subject and parallels drawn with the way politicians and celebrities seduce the public, provide additional value to this book.

While this is no "Learn to be a Don Juan in ten days", it is an intricate exploration of seduction as an art, the seducer as the performer who puts together a magical act for the both himself and the seduced.

-sumandatta