There are some books that stick out in my mind that have had a very, very big impact on me. And so I'd like to answer that question by not the 3 greatest books ever, but the 3 books that have had the most impact on my life. I read, like, thousands, over the years, thousands of books for research. And so it's kind of like people love it ask you, who's your favorite child if you have a lot of children? And you'll inevitably say it's like the last one, etcetera. So it'd be like the last books I read are my favorites. But there are some that stick out in my mind that have had a very, very big impact on me. So I can remember when I was very young, I must have been 15 or so, I got a copy of Machiavelli's The Prince. Now I can assure you that I hardly understood a word of it.
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Creator Database
[Robert Greene] 3 Books That Will Change Your Life
Speaker
Robert Greene
00:00 Thucydides' intricate style brilliantly analyzes ancient history. 04:08 Carlos Castaneda's books significantly influenced me.
✨ Magic Chat
Don't have time for the full episode?
Ask anything about this conversation — get answers in seconds, sourced from the transcript.
Try asking
Featured moments
Highlights
“There are some books that stick out in my mind that have had a very, very big impact on me. And so I'd like to answer that question by not the 3 greatest books ever, but the 3 books that have had the most impact on my life.”
“I loved the brutal realism of it. I love the fact that he was looking at human beings as if we are these animals that we are, and he was analyzing it without all the usual guilt, all the usual moralism that's going on in the world. He was just presenting us as we are.”
“Boy, that had a huge impact on me, and you can see obviously the influence on my books.”
“I wish we had a handful of writers to this day who could be like that, who could have that clarity, who could have that kind of logic, who could have that kind of analytical ability. But it existed 2,500 years ago, and this great historian, Thucydides, who wrote one book that I know of the history of the Peloponnesian War, but it's the most marvelous adventure you could ever go on. It's a fantastic book, had a huge influence on me, almost as powerful as the Machiavelli.”
“You will understand where Robert Greene got a lot of The 48 Laws of Power, and The 33 Strategies of War. These are amazing books.”
Timeline
How it unfolded
Read along
Full transcript
I had never worked anywhere. I had no knowledge of power. I had never been in, like, a court like environment. I'd never been around anybody to be like a prince or anything, but I loved that book. I thought it was fantastic. It had no relevance to my life in high school, obviously, but what did I love about it? I loved the brutal realism of it. I love the fact that he was looking at human beings as if we are these animals that we are, and he was analyzing it without all the usual guilt, all the usual moralism that's going on in the world. He was just presenting us as we are.
I didn't really understand experientially what he was talking about, but the style of it, the clarity, the pragmatism, the beautiful language, entranced me. And so I probably read that book 6 or 7 times over the years in different formats. But that paperback, that really strange little spindly little tiny little paperback that I had when I was 15, Boy, that had a huge impact on me, and you can see obviously the influence on my books. The second book, I studied ancient Greek in college, and you'll think, that has to be the most irrelevant subject anyone could ever study in university, and you're probably right. But it taught me some great things. It's the ultimate mental discipline. And I remember when I was in my 2nd year, I believe, we were given Thucydides, we call it Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War. It took me 3 days to read one paragraph in ancient Greek.
The language was so difficult, so weird, I had to think about each word, sentence, etc. And I thought, I came out of that, I go, the style of this is so insane, it's so intricate, it's so brilliant, it's so it's so convoluted, yet logical in its own way. And I became an incredible fan of Thucydides. And obviously, I read it later on in English, the whole book, and it's the most beautiful thing you can ever read, because here you're reading about our history as humans some 25 100 years ago in ancient Greece, and you've got this narrator who's so modern, who's someone who could be somebody who's not sitting right next to you, who has this very clear perspective. And he's describing these events so far in the past, they're so dramatic, and they're so exciting, and he's analyzing it brilliantly. I wish we had a handful of writers to this day who could be like that, who could have that clarity, who could have that kind of logic, who could have that kind of analytical ability. But it existed 2,500 years ago, and this great historian, Thucydides, who wrote one book that I know of the history of the Peloponnesian War, but it's the most marvelous adventure you could ever go on. It's a fantastic book, had a huge influence on me, almost as powerful as the Machiavelli.
The third book is a very weird one. It's not something that most people know about or that I've ever really discussed, but it had a very large impact on me. And it's it's a series of books written in the sixties by a writer named Carlos Castaneda. He was talking about the teachings of Don Juan, which is the title of one of his book, and he had a book called The Journey to Ixalan. And if you ever pick up a copy of The Journey to Ixalan, I think it's in the early seventies that it came out, 1970, 71. You will understand where Robert Greene got a lot of The 48 Laws of Power, and The 33 Strategies of War. These are amazing books. They, you know, sometimes I wonder if they date so well because they come from the drug period.
And basically what it's about is the author is an anthropology student at UCLA named Carlos Castaneda, and he goes to study indigenous Indian practices. He comes upon this Yaqui Indian named Don Juan, who kind of initiates him in all of the ways of his indigenous culture. It includes eventually just a peyote, and learning to become a crow, and all these weird things that you think, wow that's that's too weird. But a lot of it is this stuff that's all about power. It's all about controlling yourself. It's all about confronting your mortality. It's all about becoming this great warrior in life. And, you know, if I read it now, I still love it.
It's not the same as when I read it when I was 16, and I was getting excited by all that stuff, but it's still very impactful. It's still a wonderful book, and I'm actually using a little bit in the law of sublime. So those are the 3 books that I think have had the largest impact on me. Of course, I'm leaving out Friedrich Nietzsche, who had probably the greatest impact on me of all, but there's not one book I can single out. There's, like, 8 books. And then, of course, there's my favorite novelist, Dostoevsky, who had a huge impact on me. I can't pick out one novel. I have 2, 3, or 4.
So that's my convoluted, long winded way of answering that question.
Also generated
More from this recording
1️⃣ One Sentence Summary
Three impactful books: Machiavelli's Prince, Thucydides' Peloponnesian War, Castaneda's teachings.
🔑 Key Themes
Machiavelli's The Prince: brutal realism, human nature
Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War: ancient Greek, clarity, logic, analysis
Carlos Castaneda's books: power, self-control, mortality, warriorship
Friedrich Nietzsche: major influence, multiple books
Dostoevsky: favorite novelist, multiple impactful novels
Reading diverse books: thousands read for research
Books with lasting impact: shaping worldview, writing
💬 Keywords
Robert Greene
Favorite books
Influential books
Machiavelli
The Prince
Power
Human nature
Realism
Morality
Pragmatism
Ancient Greek
College
Thucydides
History of the Peloponnesian War
Ancient Greece
Historical analysis
Writing style
Carlos Castaneda
The Teachings of Don Juan
Journey to Ixalan
The 48 Laws of Power
The 33 Strategies of War
Anthropology
Indigenous culture
Yaqui Indians
Peyote
Self-control
Mortality
Friedrich Nietzsche
Dostoevsky
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Thucydides' intricate and brilliant style made him a favorite historian, lauded for his modern perspective and analytical clarity in "The History of the Peloponnesian War."
04:08 The third influential book series is by Carlos Castaneda from the 1960s, impacting the author significantly and influencing Robert Greene's works.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Thucydides' intricate style brilliantly analyzes ancient history.
04:08 Carlos Castaneda's books significantly influenced me.
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Introduction
Robert Greene's perspective on the most impactful books in his life
Clarification that these are not necessarily the greatest books ever, but the ones that have influenced him the most
Machiavelli's The Prince
Read by Greene at the age of 15
Loved the book despite not fully understanding its content at the time
Appreciated the brutal realism and analysis of human nature without moralism
Influenced Greene's writing style and perspective
Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War
Studied ancient Greek in college
Challenging language and intricate style
Admiration for Thucydides' clarity, logic, and analytical ability
Describes events from 2,500 years ago with a modern perspective
Wish for more writers with similar clarity and analytical skills
Carlos Castaneda's books (The Teachings of Don Juan, The Journey to Ixtlan)
Series of books written in the 1960s and early 1970s
Influenced Greene's writing in The 48 Laws of Power and The 33 Strategies of War
Story of an anthropology student learning from a Yaqui Indian named Don Juan
Focuses on power, self-control, confronting mortality, and becoming a great warrior in life
Still impactful and being used in Greene's upcoming book, The Law of Sublime
Honorable mentions
Friedrich Nietzsche: Had the greatest impact on Greene, but no single book stands out
Fyodor Dostoevsky: Greene's favorite novelist, with multiple impactful novels
Anatomy of Good Content
Here's why we love Robert Greene's video on the three books that changed his life:
Compelling hook: The video begins with Robert acknowledging the challenge of selecting just three books out of the thousands he has read, immediately piquing the viewer's curiosity about which titles had the greatest impact on him.
Personal anecdotes: Robert shares personal stories about when and why he first encountered each book, such as reading Machiavelli's "The Prince" at age 15 and studying ancient Greek in college. These anecdotes make the content more engaging and relatable.
Detailed explanations: For each book, Robert delves into what specifically resonated with him, from Machiavelli's brutal realism and pragmatism to Thucydides' clarity and analytical ability. These explanations help the viewer understand the unique value of each title.
Passion and enthusiasm: Robert's genuine passion for these books shines through in his descriptions. His enthusiasm is contagious, making the viewer more likely to seek out these titles for themselves.
Contextual insights: Robert provides context about each book, such as discussing the difficulty of reading Thucydides in ancient Greek and the historical significance of "The History of the Peloponnesian War." This additional information enriches the viewing experience and highlights Robert's depth of knowledge.
Connecting themes: Robert draws connections between these influential books and his own work, such as the impact of Carlos Castaneda's books on "The 48 Laws of Power" and "The 33 Strategies of War." These insights offer a fascinating glimpse into Robert's creative process and the development of his ideas.
Authentic and unscripted style: The video feels authentic and unscripted, with Robert speaking candidly about his experiences and even acknowledging the "convoluted, long-winded way" of answering the question. This authenticity makes the content more engaging and trustworthy.
How to Create Content Like This
Here are a few ways to replicate the success of Robert Greene's video on 3 life-changing books:
Choose timeless, impactful books: Rather than just listing popular titles, Robert selects 3 books that profoundly influenced him at different stages of life. By focusing on works that made a lasting personal impact, the content feels more meaningful than a generic list of recommendations.
Explain the key lessons and value of each book: For each selection, Robert doesn't just summarize the plot. He explains what he found so compelling about the writing style, ideas, and teachings within the books and how they shaped his own work and perspective. Highlighting the key takeaways makes the video more insightful.
Share your authentic reading journey: Robert openly discusses how his perception of the books evolved from adolescence to adulthood. Candidly sharing how the works resonated during different phases makes the content more relatable and shows how great books can leave a lasting impression when revisited.
Build authority through knowledgeable analysis: Using his background in studying ancient Greek, Robert is able to appreciate the linguistic brilliance of Thucydides. Demonstrating deeper knowledge of the books and their historical context gives the recommendation more weight compared to just stating an opinion.
How to Create Content Like This
Here are a few ways to replicate the success of Robert Greene's video on books that changed his life:
Choose a topic that gets personal: Rather than simply listing great books, Robert focuses the video on 3 deeply impactful books from his own life. By getting personal and sharing your genuine influences, you foster a more intimate connection with viewers.
Span different life stages with your examples: Robert selects books from his teenage years up through his studies and career. Showcasing influential books or media from various phases of your life hints at an ongoing journey of growth that viewers can relate to.
Convey your authentic enthusiasm: As Robert describes each book, his passion for them shines through in the details he shares about characters, language, and the feelings they inspired. Speaking with genuine enthusiasm is infectious and keeps viewers engaged.
Reflect on the long-term impact: For each book, Robert doesn't just summarize the content but reflects on how it shaped his perspective and work over time. Sharing how certain books or content shifted your own trajectory demonstrates their power.
Share personal stories of engaging with the content: Robert's anecdote about struggling through Thucydides in ancient Greek and being blown away by the style gives viewers a vivid glimpse into his experience. These personal stories forge a deeper emotional connection.
Made with Castmagic
Turn any recording into a page like this.
Upload audio or video — interviews, podcasts, sales calls, lectures. Get a transcript, summary, key takeaways, and social-ready clips in minutes.
Google
Apple
Or learn more about Castmagic first.
Magic Chat
Try asking