The Pocket Oracle and Art of Prudence (Penguin Classics)

The author gives excellent advice worthy of repetitious reading! Much wisdom that can only be attained by the self mastery required to practice the virtues presented in the well chosen words of this book.

I have friends who read The Prince like a bible, and its true that Machiavelli is worthy of repeated study, both as a period piece and window into the Renaissance Italian soul, and as possibly the most notorious treatise on Realpolitik ever written. Machiavelli, like Nietzsche, has been misused by the unscrupulous and decried by the ignorant; also, IMHO, both writers were actually better historians and analysts than they were philosophers per se. Baltasar Gracian, in the Pocket Oracle, has accomplished what Niccolo never could, nor would have wanted to: a day to day primer of sage advice from a trained Jesuit mind who walked and worked in the highest halls of power in his time. The lessons are pithy and epigrammatic, both simple yet deserving of deep reflection and consideration and, most importantly, are eminently USEFUL in almost every interpersonal interaction in your day to day life, whether you are a dish washer or a senator -- his teachings are that universal. Robert Greene strip-mined Gracian for 48 Laws of Power, but again IMHO, it's always best to refer back to the seminal source even after being presented with a good a digest as Greene presented. This is the Penguin edition, so you of course have the value added of their wonderful introductions, with historical references anchoring Gracian's life and the impact of the Oracle itself. Also, this translation is, I feel, much better than those I've seen marketed under the variant title Art of Worldly Wisdom. I read this book everyday. I recommend it to every man woman or child that wants to live their very best. Gracian was one of the wisest men who ever lived, and this is the free distillation of his wisdom.

This is not a story, but an excellent example of the "pocket mirrors", little books of advice for leaders and princes going back to the Middle Ages. Balthasar Gracian was a Jesuit, and as many Jesuits of his time, rubbed shoulders with the elite and powerful far and wide. Jesuits are Catholic priests, considered the "marines of the Church", and thus are painfully practical, educated men, deeply dedicated to understanding the way things work, in order to reveal the most effective strategies for missionaries and workers of GOD. This book primarily focuses on personal improvement, self-discipline, courtly manners and courtesy, and influencing the movers and shakers of the world. Considered perhaps too concerned with the material world, many of Gracian's books were frowned upon by his superiors, not because they were bad advice or lead anyone astray, but because they were primarily concerned with worldly matters of state and state craft, rather than the spiritual realms.

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I am so very pleased to have it! You guys are The Best!

A famous book from Spain, written some 350 ago by an iconoclastic Jesuit, has been translated into English - the best translation ever! Thank you, Mr. Robbins, for doing such an excellent job, where over time many have already stumbled - and even miserably failed. Peter Paulenz, Germany

I have read the book three times and will read it again a couple of times at least. I embrace the sayings of Baltasar Gracian

I bought The Pocket Oracle and Art of Prudence on Amazon, and the package arrived on time and in perfect condition. This book is a timeless collection of wisdom that feels surprisingly relevant even today. Each aphorism is concise yet thought-provoking, offering practical advice on judgment, self-control, and navigating social and professional life. It is not a book to rush through, but one to read slowly and return to often. I appreciated how Gracián’s insights encourage reflection and personal growth, making it suitable for both modern readers and lovers of classic philosophy. The compact format makes it easy to keep close at hand. A valuable and elegant book that rewards careful reading.

This is a gold mine. And a surprising discovery for me as well. I had no idea what I was missing until I discovered this heck of a guideline about prudence and practicality, and common sense and life in general. This is a short book (a collection of 300 thought-provoking aphorisms penned by a Spanish Jesuit over 350 years ago), but make no mistake, there is no less ideas you could find in it than a lifetime's accumulation of wisdom elsewhere. Just read it and find yourself turning into a bit more pragmatic. And wiser. And surprised. Highly recommended! (PS. Read the "Introduction" first before delving into the main section.)

essential for every serious collection of wisdom books. But be carefull - sometimes in collision with christian values because the book encourages petty politics and machiavellism.

This slim volume must be mass-printed and given to any teenager about to embark on adult life. I am only sorry that I had to wait for longer to be introduced to it. Had I been given it as a teen my life would have taken a different, and better, course. Gracian's world is one that is eerily similar to ours despite the 400 years that separate them: a world were deceit and treason are the order of the day, where competition is fierce even over trifles, where today's friend is tomorrow's bitter enemy. The world of Baroque Spain is one in which everyone is observed all the time by others and is pathologically self-conscious because of that. Gracian offers a guide to survival and prosperity in this world but his lessons are hard. Those of us who prefer to see the world through rose-tinted glasses will chuck this book away; the rest will adopt it as a trusty mentor and friend. Gracian wants us to win. He teaches us unstinting realism, the ability to see the world around us just as it is. He is the enemy of positive thinking, narcissism, idealism and self-deception. The difference between a thinker and a fool is that of realism and self-control. The fool is doomed to failure, exploited and led to ruin by those who cotton on to his obvious passions or hopes while the thinker retains perfect self-mastery through all of life's ups and downs. No one knows his wants or needs and no one holds him in thrall. Gracian is a subtle and whimsical thinker, a writer of vertiginous style. The hard lessons he offers us are sweetened by his reasoning and comment. One can hear the confessor, the Jesuit, the practical psychologist as well as the courtier and the ethicist in his words. He is both erudite and irreverent, gentle even when he is being harsh. This book is really a survival manual for the intelligent, the self-critical and the ambitious; Gracian teaches us what we need to know to survive and flourish. He tells us when to speak and when to be silent; when to act and when to wait it out. He tells us how to make friends, with whom to make them and how to nurture and protect our friendships. He tells us how to identify our needs and get them met. How to lay our plans and how to act on them. How to ask and how to be asked. How to handle a 'no' and how to deliver a 'no'. How to avoid ridicule and upstaging. How to neutralize those who would harm us from envy or plain malice. How to keep that which is most sacred to us hidden in plain sight. Gracian is, in fact, profoundly compassionate. He full of compassion towards the thinking, feeling, aspirational people who are determined to survive and do well in a world of dangerous make-believe and this book is the practical outcome of his compassion. So don't believe those who describe him or his book as cynical or cold. Buy it, read it, carry it with you in your bag and give it to any teenagers and young people you know.

not many know of baltasar ....