With his more than forty years’ experience observing people and politicians in our nation's capital–ten of those years on Hardball , five nights a week–Chris Matthews has learned from the pros what it takes to be a success. Now Matthews shows us what we can learn from the world’s most accomplished people and, more important, how we can emulate their best habits to improve our own lives.

In The Hardball Handbook , Chris Matthews focuses on four areas–friendship, rivalry, reputation, and success–and shows how we can cull the best traits of others and use them ourselves. Matthews takes us on a raucous road trip through political history and points out the best–and worst–behaviors of some of its most notable characters. Written in the assertive, good-natured style that is Matthews’s trademark, each chapter has something to teach us. Here are a few truths from The Hardball Handbook:

• People would rather be listened to than listen.

• People don’t mind being used; what they mind is being discarded.

• People are more loyal to the people they’ve helped than the people they’ve helped are loyal to them.

• Not everyone’s going to like you.

• No matter what anybody says, nobody wants a level playing field.

Once you understand these and other universal truths–and how to make them work for you–you’ll be ready to win at life.

[美]剋裏斯•馬修斯（Chris Matthews）

 美國知名電視節目主持人、政治評論傢，主持美國傢喻戶曉的政治評論節目《硬球》和《剋裏斯•馬修斯脫口秀》。他的作品《硬球》被美國《讀者文摘》評為最佳非小說類暢銷書。

 擁有28年美國政壇高層幕僚經曆，他曾先後擔任美國參議員弗蘭剋•莫斯的立法助理、美國第39任總統吉米•卡特的演講稿撰稿人、美國國會眾議院議長蒂普•奧尼爾高級助理，經曆和目睹瞭眾多政壇人物的輝煌與落敗，是真正的圈內人。

 15年報刊從業經曆，曾擔任《舊金山觀察傢報》（San Francisco Examiner）華盛頓總編輯兼全美聯閤專欄作傢，後擔任《舊金山紀事報》（San Francisco Chronicle）全美專欄作傢。