Self Help Books - The 50th Law Quotes

It is one of the most unusual collaborations of our age.

A multimillionaire rapper, known for his entrepreneurial acumen and raw street style collaborates with a intellectual historian and refined philosopher of power. The result is stunning - a "Scarface" for the modern generation that sets the gritty tale of Fifty's rise to the top in the context of centuries of history.

History has much to teach us, and much of it is unpleasant. Medieval European history is a dismal saga of factional conflict, regicide and savagery as nobles and kings fought like beasts in a pit for the fleeting glory of this world. Of course there is very little difference between the wily dynamics of survival and power between the world of Florentine noblemen and the characters in "The Godfather". There are the same plots, the same stories, the same will to power and the same Icarine fall. Tony Montana in Scarface could almost be a Shakespearean figure. Robert Greene, a keen student of Machiavelli, has accumulated a wealth of historical insights into the nature of power politics and these are still useful today.

In the 50th Law he places these timeless ideas in the very real, very urban and very modern context of 50 Cent. The popular hip hop artist, known for his aggressive and uncompromising lyrics on smash hit albums such as "Get Rich or Die Trying", is for Green the Nietzchian embodiment of a "will to power". And the story of Mr. Curtis Jackson is truly compelling - the harsh life of the streets moulded him from a hustler to an entrepreneur to a rapper whose constant evolution and commercial instincts enabled him to accumulate a fortune in many fields. Like Diddy and Jay-Z, 50 is emblematic of the triumph of entrepreneurs who blew apart the limitations of the hood and became fully fledged media tycoons.

The collaboration is entertaining, although the dispassionate and non-judgemental descriptions of criminal activity can take time to get used to. The book is presented in a faux black leather hard back binding, with Gothic gold print and gilded pages. Quite an impressive appearances which underlines the substantial nature and content of the book.

The best part of this self help book is perhaps not the tale of Fifty's rise to glory, but rather the stories of many great names from African-American history who struggled under segregation and slavery but nonetheless achieved greatness. It is always sobering to be reminded of the burdens that people had to endure in the past.

Yet 50 Cent and Greene are not confined by reference to one nation or group, for their stories are universal. Some of their insights are a world away from the "get rich quick" hucksterism that some motivational gurus love to spout. For example, in chapter 8 ("Slow Mastery") they extol the virtues of patient, disciplined and consistent effort. They cite Isaac Newton, who had shown little special promise as a Cambridge student. But confined to his mother's home as the plague raged outside, he was forced into disciplined and concentrated effort for the first time. In the space of twenty months of dedicated effort, he essentially created "modern mathematics, mechanics and optics". This is the kind of truly inspirational story that 50 and Greene excel in.

The 50th Law is a gripping read, because it is tested in the reality both of 50's life and of Greene's deep knowledge of history, politics and philosophy. This is a self help with a difference and has much to offer even those not attracted by the lurid cover. It extols the vital importance of flow, persistence and fearlessness - attributes that are just as useful in ordinary suburban lives as they are in Southside Queens or Machiavelli's Florence.

The 50th Law is an outstanding read for all who seek to advance their lives.

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