The Art of Worldly Wisdom: A Pocket Oracle

I stumbled across this book 2 decades ago and found it a tough read due to the old world verbiage. I found this book was best digested slowly so I read one of the 300 or so topics a day so a page a day. For a book of wisdom I found it was a great toilet read, go figure. Being an average student, over the course of 10 years, I read this book a total of eight times using a different marker for each reading. This book was the first guide on how to deal with others with a trained intellect rather than using my natural thinking and actions. This is a guide on how to influence people for their or your own benefit. The only other instruction of this caliber is the book of Proverbs by Rabbi/King Solomon. This is a book of wisdom that gives instruction on day to day interactions and how best to manage people and events that present in the course of life. Like a gun these principles can be used to pursue good or nefarious outcomes. In the very least comprehending the principles presented in The Art of Worldly Wisdom would arm you with knowledge and reason enough for you to recognize when someone is employing tactics covered in this book on you.

Review of: "The Art of Worldly Wisdom: A Pocket Oracle" by Baltasar Gracian. Baltasar Gracian was a Jesuit teaching in colleges across the Kingdom of Aragon in addition to being the confessor to the viceroy of Aragon and chaplain to the Spanish army at the siege of Lleida. His later fame was premised on his being considered one of the great Spanish stylists and moralists of the mid-seventeenth century. The Pocket Oracle and Art of Prudence was published in 1647. It was based upon Gracian's own experiences and consists of a collection of three-hundred aphorisms offering "pragmatic, hard-headed and coldly calculated advice" on how to thrive in the cut-throat world of Baroque society. Each of the three-hundred units in the book consists of an initial aphorism/maxim followed by a commentary. For example, [aphorism] 267: "Silken words, and Mild Nature: Arrows pierce the body, but harsh words the soul. A pill can make your breath smell sweet, and to know how to sell air is one of life's subtlest skills. Most things are bought with words, and they're enough to achieve the impossible. All our dealings are in the air, and the breath of a prince greatly inspires. So your mouth should always be full of sugar to sweeten your words so that they taste good even to your enemies. The only way to be loved is to be sweet-natured." This book is comparable to Machiavelli's "The Prince," Benvenuto Cellini's "Autobiography," and Baldesar Castiglione's "The Book of the Courtier" but is much more useful in illuminating the human condition of how and why we act the way we do. As applicable today as when written and very masterfully composed. The only caveat to the reader is that it may remind him or her of many people they know, perhaps even themselves. Recommended as a guide to navigate through the corridors of power; the boardroom or the bedroom, it is a must have. Recommended without hesitation or reservation at five+ stars.

This interesting book (The Art of Worldly Wisdom: translated by Martin Fischer) contains 300 aphorisms taken from Baltasar Grecian’s numerous scholarly volumes. He lived around the 16th century teaching and writing. Not a whole lot is known about the author but he was a member of “the society of Jesus” which was a scholarly and academic group.These aphorisms cover an enormous amount of subject areas. The following are just a small sample of the topics covered: Mind and spirit, nature and art, fortune and fame, accomplish your ends, the art of being lucky, be gracious, think, never exaggerate, be shrewd, but not too shrewd, have strength of spirit, never lose your head, work with good tools, know how to refuse, generous in action, the art of living well, attain, and maintain a reputation, deal solely with men of honor, never talk about yourself, and many other bits of great advice.If you are a seeker of knowledge and bits of wisdom from the ancient masters, you may want to check out this book. Even though the writing style is not always clear (could be because of the translation) or easy to understand: nevertheless, this is still an excellent book to read. Some of the bits of wisdom are a pure joy to read.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Haiku Moments: How to read, write and enjoy haiku).

Do you want to have some good ideas to ponder when you have a little time. Read a point and think about it. This is a wonderful book and I wish I would have read it when I was younger. It would have helped me a lot. Why do some of the best books never get recommended more by people you teach us. I book for meditating on and it is still very useful for life today.

I am reading the book in my fourties, had i read it during 20s or 30s , life could have been more meaningful. Written by a priest( pundit) in India, from Spain, a book must read in one's top list!! Whether you are in your corporate profile, manager, businessman, or a bureaucrat, or a politician, or in army, do not forget to read, and reread it!! Francis Bacon wrote, "some books are to be digested". This one belongs to this type. You shall definitely be enriched by the experience of the knowledge, that you otherwise get in 15 to 20 years in life. Teaches you how to live your life in a practical manner. A self help book, but not idealistic in nature. Drenched in realism totally!! Go for Christopher Maurer' S translation in stead of Jacob. The former is easy!! Read and ponder over the points!!! An enriching experience!!!

I had some rather large reservations when I purchased this book. I had no interest in some life prescription, involving eating fish on Friday. Well was I in for a rather pleasant surprise. This book is nothing short of amazing! I guess it is no surprise, that Gracian`s writings got him trouble with Church authorities.The book lists three hundred aphorisms. These life lessons can be applied to any era, or nationality. Gracians observations and recommendations are not only timeless, but also quite brilliant. Gracian also has a rather sharp dividing line. Most of his observations are divided along the lines of wise people, versus the world of fools. He then compares the resulting action of a prudent person, with the action of a foolish person.Bottom line; do yourself a favour, and pick up a copy of this book.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSLATION IS BY JOSEPH JACOBS AND NOT CHRISTOPHER MAURER AS STATED IN THE DESCRIPTION. This is an important issue as I was looking for a translation by Christopher Maurer, since I had read that his translation was was far superior.I think that Baltasar Gracian has left out one aphorism in this book: terrible translation obscures wisdom. Or if translated according to the work of this translator, it would read "bad translation wisdom hides". This is how awful the translation is such that one is prevented from accessing the great wisdom of Baltasar Gracian. The book has a great foreword which whets up one's appetite for wisdom, but the terrible and awkward translation destroys any promise that the worldly wisdom of Baltasar Gracian would be transferred to all but the wisest of all readers (and if you are such a wise reader, why read this book?)The book contains such a horrendous translation that one would only be able to understand the aphorisms if one already had knowledge of such wisdom. This translation is therefore unhelpful for people seeking to acquire new wisdom (it is unobtainable through this translation), but may serve a fine purpose for those who have the time and folly to try and decipher Gracian's profound sayings mangled by the dreadful translation.

One of the best books out there. I have read many books in Stocism, self improvement, power, and this one just blows them out of the water. This is a gem. I have two, one for the office and one at home. Looking to get a third very soon.