Michael Jackson’s old self-help book goes on sale for £8,000

A self-help book that Michael Jackson scribbled in has gone on sale at auction and could fetch as much as £8,000.

The King of Pop made annotations in Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power, which sets out rules to achieve and maintain a position of strength.  

It is incredibly popular among celebrities with 50 Cent, Drake and Jay Z among those believed to have read the publication.

But others have criticised Greene’s writing, particularly the 27th ‘law’ which is ‘Play on people’s need to believe to create a cult like following’, suggesting the work does more harm than good.  

Jackson’s copy remains in immaculate condition and is due to go under the hammer with Omega Auctions of Merseyside.

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene could fetch as much as £8,000

A copy of self-help book The 48 Laws of Power, right, owned by Michael Jackson, left, is to go up for auction in Merseyside and could fetch as much as £8,000

Jackson annotated several pages and made notes including 'true' and 'wow' on the 34th law, pictured, 'Be Royal in Your Own Fashion' which advocates acting like a king

Jackson annotated several pages and made notes including ‘true’ and ‘wow’ on the 34th law, pictured, ‘Be Royal in Your Own Fashion’ which advocates acting like a king

The King of Pop clearly paid a lot of attention to the writings, highlighting many passages and even writing 'do this' above a section that recommends lying and cheating to prevent bad news

The King of Pop clearly paid a lot of attention to the writings, highlighting many passages and even writing ‘do this’ above a section that recommends lying and cheating to prevent bad news

It is being sold from a private collection, with the auctioneers are expecting offers between £5,000 and £8,000.

The Thriller star analysed the book closely leaving several handwritten annotations and underlining key passages.

Among the pieces the singer picked out, was a section under Law 34, entitled ‘Be Royal in Your Own Fashion: Act Like a King to be Treated Like One’.

The underlined section reads: ‘Once the king had made news by treating the banker as his equal; now the banker treats the king as his inferior.

Writing in pink ink, Jackson wrote beside the passage: ‘You create your own circumstances even in the manner in which you are treated and looked upon.’

On the same page, he also highlighted a much larger section of text, simply writing below ‘wow’.

Jackson also made his own philosophical observations, pictured, including 'The Moon comes every night so people don't care to look to the heavens'

Jackson also made his own philosophical observations, pictured, including ‘The Moon comes every night so people don’t care to look to the heavens’

Other musings by Jackson included 'humiliate = to injure the self respect'

Other musings by Jackson included ‘humiliate = to injure the self respect’

The King of Pop also wrote about creating your own circumstances of how you are treated

The King of Pop also wrote about creating your own circumstances of how you are treated

The philosophical notes continue throughout the book, including on a later page where he wrote: ‘The moon comes every night so people don’t care to look to the heavens.’

A spokesman for Omega Auctions said the firm was ‘thrilled to be selling the unique insight into one of the world’s most famous performers’.

The book has been with its current owner, a UK-based collector, since 2011 and has been well kept in that time.

It has an orange and blue cover with each law listed on the back. 

Among them are Law 1 – ‘Never Outshine the Master’, Law 14 – ‘Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy’, and Law 42 – ‘Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter’. 

The sale takes place tomorrow. 

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