Greene opens by framing seduction as a deliberate, learnable strategic craft rather than a matter of natural charisma or luck, drawing on extensive historical case studies of famous seducers across centuries to extract recurring psychological patterns and techniques.

Core argument he establishes:

• Great seducers throughout history, Greene argues, operated with deliberate strategy and psychological insight, not simply innate charm — meaning the underlying skills can be studied and learned
• The book's method draws heavily on historical biography and case study, similar to Greene's other works, extracting patterns from figures like Cleopatra, Casanova, and John F. Kennedy
• This opening frames seduction broadly — not limited to romantic contexts, but applicable to political, social, and professional influence as well, since Greene argues the underlying psychological principles are the same

This opening establishes the book's analytical, historically-grounded approach before introducing its specific typology of seducer characters and strategic phases.