When Raef McAvee is nine years old he has a realisation that is to become the guiding principle of his life. i1⁄2The benefit of intelligence lies not in the ability to do better work but the ability to do no work at all.i1⁄2 Inspired by Machiavelli, whose name sounds prophetically like his own, Raef goes on to forge and follow a series of i1⁄2Rules for Lifei1⁄2 which successfully elevate him from suburban obscurity to international recognition. His career is a text book for others who crave fame but do not quite have the talent or persistence required to achieve it. The question is, how long can someone get away with living a fabricated life? The answer is, longer than you might expect.