Written in the seventeenth century, The Art of Worldly Wisdom has become an underground best seller, valued for its timeless insights on how to make one's way in the world. The author, Baltasar Graci n, was a chaplain, confessor, college administrator, and professor who lived a courtier's life in the company of viceroys, aristocrats, statesmen, and military leaders. In three hundred maxims, Graci n offers sage advice on how to impress superiors, confound rivals, and get the most from subordinates. Like Sun Tzu's Art of War, Machiavelli's Prince, and Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, Graci n's Art of Worldly Wisdom is one of those rare books that serve as enlightening guides and companions for life.

Author Biography

Baltasar Graci n was an aphorist, imaginary biographer, and novelist, who published studies of ideal figures and handbooks on the arts of rhetoric and comportment. His books include The Hero, Shrewdness and the Art of the Artist, The Art of Worldly Wisdom, and The Master Critic. Many high officials felt attacked by the controversial and critical works of this Jesuit priest-professor. Graci n refused to be censored, and was eventually confined to solitary house arrest, where he died.