More of a skim through, a what-kind-of-seductress-am-I figure outer, a book to read and compare your own seduction style to and laugh about.

Kennedy, from Andy Warhol to Josephine Bonaparte, The Art of Seduction gets to the heart of the character of the seducer and his or her tactics, triumphs and failures. Your confidence and fluidity will have more intoxicating power than any alcohol or drug you could apply. They develop their persona and charm on the premise that their partner is always looking for a variety of experiences and they present those experiences to their partner. There are also things about reliance, which also upset me in a number of ways as someone who prides himself on being content and self-reliant. Make none of this explicit; let them only sense it and their imagination will do the rest, creating the doubt you desire.The New Prude: excessively concerned with their outward appearance, underneath they want to release, but they fear judgement.

If we knew how to play our own part in the game with others who knew how to play theirs (if, in fact, the aristocratic court of Japan or Louis XVI became democratised with leisure and an instinct for pleasure for all) might not life be not only more interesting but less deadly dull? A person’s vulnerability, what they seem to be unable to control, is often what is most seductive about them. Any environment offering the possibility of playing a different role, of being someone different than in normal day-to-day life, is immensely seductive.

For better or worse (depending on your stance), Greene is persuasive that seduction is a game between equal partners where the 'victim' is willing enough for what they will get out of the process. Whatever action you take to let them come to you, avoid crowding your target: too much attention early on will suggest insecurity and give no room for imagination. The Art of Seduction explains that surprises work because they create a moment when the defenses come down and new emotions can take in. As a result of reading this book I am now reading more than I have before about the historical characters mentioned and truly fascinated by what this book has taught me and the world it has opened before me.

When raised to the level of art, seduction, an indirect and subtle form of power, has toppled empires, won elections and enslaved great minds. It's also easy to justify the discarding 'how could I continue with such a emotionally unstable person?I’m pretty confident in saying that if successful dating today is your goal, then you shouldn’t follow “The Art of Seduction” recipe.