How does the structure of the book impact the tone of the book? Why do you think Greene chose to structure the book this way?

Caterina Sforza and Queen Elizabeth I were both strong, powerful female leaders in patriarchal periods when women’s opportunities were greatly limited. Compare and contrast their relationships with the Law of Gender Rigidity. How were they similar? How were they different?

Compare the leadership styles of Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Queen Elizabeth I. What strategies described in the book did some or all of them have in common? How did they differ?

Analyze Howard Hughes and John D. Rockefeller from a Jungian perspective. How did their respective shadows manifest themselves outwardly? How does an understanding of their shadows clarify and confirm what the book has revealed about them?

How do Leo Tolstoy’s stories both obscure and reveal his narcissistic traits? How do they reveal truths about his relationship with his wife Sonya?

Anton Chekhov was able to become more positive and productive in part because he could empathize with and understand the nuances of his father. What does Chekhov’s story say about the power of forgiveness and understanding in freeing oneself from pain and harmful mentalities?

The Cultural Revolution proved that Mao’s efforts to change fundamental aspects of human nature were futile. What are some other social and cultural experiments in history that have proven the permanence of human nature? What laws of human nature described in the book did they prove?

Compare the ideas in this book with the ones in Greene’s other books, including The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery. How are their ideas similar? How are they different?