// Book comparison
The Hard Thing About Hard Things vs The Laws of Human Nature
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz and The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
by Ben Horowitz
★ 4.9/5
The Laws of Human Nature
by Robert Greene
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Hard Thing About Hard Things | The Laws of Human Nature | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 304 | 624 |
| Reading time | ~7.6 h | ~15.6 h |
| Published | 2014 | 2018 |
| Author | Ben Horowitz | Robert Greene |
| Category | Startups & Entrepreneurship | Leadership |
| Publisher | HarperBusiness | Viking |
Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…
- → You're interested in startups & entrepreneurship.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You prefer a shorter read (~7.6 hours).
Choose The Laws of Human Nature if…
- → You're interested in leadership.
- → You want the more recent perspective (2018).
Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things
- ✓ Understand the difference between Peacetime and Wartime Leadership, recognizing that a crisis requires a shift from collaborative consensus to directive, high-velocity decision-making.
- ✓ Manage Your Own Psychology during 'The Struggle', recognizing that the ability to stay calm and objective when the organization is at risk is a leader's most critical strategic asset.
- ✓ Prioritize The Truth in your organizational communication, ensuring that bad news travels fast and that every employee understands the reality of the firm's strategic challenges.
Key takeaways — The Laws of Human Nature
- ✓ Master the Law of Irrationality by recognizing your own emotional biases, ensuring that your strategic decisions are based on objective evidence rather than impulsive feelings.
- ✓ Utilize Social Decoding to identify the hidden motives of your stakeholders, allowing you to anticipate conflicts and build more effective, reality-based professional alliances.
- ✓ Develop Strategic Empathy by looking beneath people’s outward behavior to understand their core insecurities and needs, which is the key to influencing diverse groups.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. If you specifically need leadership, The Laws of Human Nature is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Laws of Human Nature better? +
The Hard Thing About Hard Things has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. The Hard Thing About Hard Things focuses on startups & entrepreneurship, while The Laws of Human Nature focuses on leadership. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Laws of Human Nature? +
The Hard Thing About Hard Things is shorter (304 pages, ~7.6 hours) compared to The Laws of Human Nature (624 pages, ~15.6 hours).
Should I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Laws of Human Nature first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.