From the Publisher This best-selling book of advice on how to achieve personal and professional success is valued for its timeless insights on how to make one's way in the world. Written in the seventeenth century by a Spanish Jesuit, these teachings are strikingly modern in tone, putting strategy above ethics while reminding the reader that the true search for excellence begins with perfecting oneself. Biography Baltasar Gracián 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. Gracián refused to be censored, and was eventually confined to solitary house arrest, where he died. Editorial Reviews - The Art of Worldly Wisdom From the Publisher This best-selling book of advice on how to achieve personal and professional success is valued for its timeless insights on how to make one's way in the world. Written in the seventeenth century by a Spanish Jesuit, these teachings are strikingly modern in tone, putting strategy above ethics while reminding the reader that the true search for excellence begins with perfecting oneself. Library Journal Maurer retranslates a 17th-century Jesuit's aphorisms and reflections on the morality of success. This long-admired work sounds surprisingly relevant today. It also combines brevity and grace of expression with wise advice, which should appeal to those seeking ``how-to'' spirituality which is universal, practical, and applicable in business. Recommended for public libraries. Library Journal Maurer retranslates a 17th-century Jesuit's aphorisms and reflections on the morality of success. This long-admired work sounds surprisingly relevant today. It also combines brevity and grace of expression with w