Human beings are nature's top predator. Whether inventing umbrellas to control the effects of nature or bombing nations to subdue them, we never stop seeking control. Even driving your car presents a series of roving battles and negotiations to control and defend your space, the essence of politics. Even if you prefer to live in denial and tell yourself you are above it all, you will not get far in life without learning how to deal with those who are not. Inspired by the famed sixteenth century philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli, The Politics of Life offers 25 pithy rules for surviving the politics of everyday life. The rules will at times seem harsh and cruel, perhaps even immoral. But that is what comes with the turf when you are learning to deal with others as they actually behave, not how you imagine them