Kansas City native Robert Mnookin, the Samuel Williston professor of law at Harvard, draws on a variety of real-life examples to illustrate how we should deal with potentially harmful adversaries — be they a business giant, a nuclear power, or a jilted former spouse.

In his book Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight, Mnookin, an internationally renowned leader in the art of negotiation, discusses eight conflicts drawn from history as well as his own experiences. In doing so, he offers a framework that applies equally to international conflicts and everyday life.

“There is no easy, categorical answer,” Mnookin says. “Sometimes you should bargain with the Devil, and other times you should refuse.”