Greene uses anecdotes from historical figures such as Louis XIV, Talleyrand, Otto von Bismarck, Catherine the Great, Mao Zedong, Haile Selassie and various con artists in order to illustrate real-world application of the 48 rules. Greene's modern courtship theory was inspired by the writings of Baltasar Gracian and Niccolò Machiavelli. [citation needed] Greene also often uses an amoral approach, mimicki
