In an age of terror, national leaders face this sort of question every day. Should we negotiate with the Taliban? Iran? North Korea? What about terrorist groups holding hostages? In private disputes, you may face devils of your own. A business partner has betrayed you and now wants to negotiate a better deal. Your marriage is ending and your spouse is making extortionist demands. A business competitor has stolen your intellectual property. Your sister is fighting you over an inheritance. In cases such as these, you feel outraged. Your gut tells you to fight it out in court.

But when facing a devil — anyone you perceive as a harmful adversary — it may make more sense to negotiate rather than fight, says Robert Mnookin, the internationally renowned leader in the art of negotiation. How do you decide?

In Bargaining with the Devil, Mnookin provides tools for confronting adversaries of all kinds. Using eight conflicts drawn from history (including fascinating examples such as Churchill's approach to Hitler, and Nelson Mandela's response to South Africa's apartheid regime), as well as his own professional experience, he offers a framework that applies equally to international conflicts and everyday life.

'There is no easy, categorical answer,' Mnookin warns. 'Sometimes you should bargain with the Devil and other times you should refuse.' The challenge lies in making wise decisions in particular circumstances. This book shows you how.