The Art of Worldly Wisdom

The Art of Worldly Wisdom by Baltasar Gracián really is a hidden gem

If you liked that book, you should read the original sources from which Robert Greene derived his (too simplified) work viz. the works of Baltasar Gracian, Machiavelli, Francesco Guicciardini, Baldassare Castiglione etc. These are far more nuanced and all-encompassing books on what i call "Worldly Wisdom" i.e. dealing with the World as is rather than how you would like it to be. These sort of books are some of my favourites that i constantly keep going back to.

Witter Bynner's Translation is truly the one. Its complemented in me by Martin Fischer's Translation of Baltasar Gracian's "The Art of Worldly Wisdom". (Amazon seems to have a few) Quoth Nietzsche: "Europe has never produced anything finer or more complicated in matters of moral subtlety."

A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter Miller (recommended SF classic) The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis (an old favorite, recommended) The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco (some interesting parts, but overall a disappointment) Theology and Sanity - Frank Sheed (recommended; a very written description of the Catholic faith; weaknesses are it's long and it's aimed to a mid 20th c. audience) Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal's Pensees - Peter Kreeft (recommended; a good exposition of Blaise Pascal's thought) Catholicism: A journey to the heart of the faith - Robert Barron (recommended; a good explanation of Catholicism for the common person) His Master's Voice - Stanislaw Lem (recommended; very intellectual look at the problem of first contact) The Industries of the Future - Alec Ross (the robotics chapter is best; other parts are more light-weight; easy read) Clouds of Witnesses - Dorothy Sayers (not my favorite Sayers mystery, but enjoyable) A Study in Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle (recommended) Why Gender Matters - Leonard Sax (recommended; most of the book is based on good science, but he does go out on a limb a time or two.)…

Reading "Art of worldly wisdom" as a kid. Still read it often. I find it incredibly useful in interactions with people in almost every facet and I strongly suggest reading it.