This Beast Of A Book Took Me 412 Days To Read!
And Was Totally Worth It!
It was the morning of September 20th 2020.
A Sunday I had planned to relax with my new read.
I had been hearing a lot about Greene at that time and wanted to know what the fuss was all about.
So, after breakfast, I cosied up on the sofa and cracked open The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene.
10 minutes in, I knew I needed a pencil to underline.
20 minutes in, I got my mind blown by the book for the first time. (I was oblivious to the fact that a hundred more were on their way.)
60 minutes later, only having finished half of the first chapter, I knew this was a book one could NEVER rush through.
It took me 412 DAYS!!!
I had to slowly chew through this book, and, oh my God, I enjoyed every bite of it.
The night of November 6th 2021, was a night of celebration for me.
I thanked the Lord for giving me the patience to read through this marvellous book and for making Robert Greene the writer he is.
About The Book
If I had to describe The Laws of Human Nature, I'd say it's a Bible on Human Beings. It's your go-to-manual on how to work with and around human beings.
Using examples from the past and present, Greene shares ancient wisdom and philosophy to help us understand what drives and motivates people, even when they are unconscious of them themselves.
Our lives depend on the people in our lives. So knowing why people do what they do is an important skill to learn. And The Laws of Human Nature helps you do just that. Once you understand this knowledge, it will help you learn, improve, succeed and defend yourself from any negativity.
What I Loved About The Book
The content, the structure, and the writing.
The content is the 18 laws full of examples, explanations and wisdom on human nature.
The structure of dividing each chapter into sections made it easy to read, understand and take a break.
The writing, oh my God, is the finest. It will draw you in as if you're reading a fascinating story. Something a non-fiction book can rarely pull off. And so much research has gone into it. Greene made sure your time would be well spent.
What I Learnt From The Book
Made Me Humble
One of the first questions I asked myself when I finished this book was - How did The Laws of Human Nature help me?
And the answer I heard myself say was - It made me humble.
It made me kind and considerate with not only others but also myself. My levels of being judgemental, being irritated by every second nuisance, always overthinking went way down.
Now I think before I react. I have also turned into a silent observer of people and life.
Thanks to this book, now I understand what we humans really are.
Detaching Myself
I have now turned into the most chill person. I don't take anything personally.
Even when it comes to my emotions, I ask myself why I feel that way. I try to find the root cause and work up from there. This is making me understand myself better.
Understanding People
Now I don't take people at face value. Because, thanks to The Laws Of Human Nature, I know there's something deep down that's triggering the behaviour.
Now I understand why I behave a certain way, why they reacted that way and why I don't like certain people and things.
Childhood Plays A Major Role
Your childhood, parents, society, thoughts, beliefs, and experience your parents grew up with play a critical role in shaping your personality.
And the irony is that you don't get to choose it.
But that doesn't mean you can't work on it.
This Book Is Not For Everyone
I believe that a book comes into your life at the right time. Even if it has been sitting on your shelf for years.
With The Laws Of Human Nature, I bought it in Jan 2020 as a birthday gift to myself, and it will stay on the shelf till September.
In those eight months, my thoughts and view of the world had changed drastically. In September 2020, I was in the right mindset to tackle this beast and therefore was attracted to this book.
I was a different person when I started the book and turned into another entirely different person after I finished the book.
Do I remember everything? Of course not. But this book will register itself subconsciously and present itself in your daily life.
I call this book a beast because it's a 600-page book with little-to-no white space, full of wisdom.
This book is mind-bending. It will rattle every understanding of human nature you have had so far. And believe me, you know nothing, Jon Snow.
I would suggest that if you're in a phase in your life where you are trying to figure out who you are and what you are doing on this green and blue spinning ball, only then pick up this book.
And I assure you, once you finish this book, your life will be changed forever.
