Francois Duc De La Rochefoucauld was a 17th century French nobleman who is best known for his maxims and memoirs about the motives of human behavior. La Rochefoucauld believed that every human action was tied in some way to self-interest. His philosophies were important in the French intellectual community along with being influential to thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche.

The maxims in this extensive collection range from thoughts on self-love and bravery to tips on holding a conversation and flirting.