Customer Reviews

The Prince

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This classic treatise is the most famous work on the subject of political power, and with good cause. Machiavelli outlines the basic principles of how to properly govern a kingdom, from whether it is better to fight with native troops (he argues that it is better to lose with your own soldiers than with with mercenaries) to whether it is better to be loved or feared (he clearly sides with the latter). Despite its somewhat negative connotations, the author goes to great lengths to outline why he comes to the conclusions he does. Taken in their proper context, Machiavelli's positions are, I believe, much less inflamatory than their stereo-types. One also must considers the time and circumstances in which the book was written.
In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone who considers themselves to be a reader of classics. I picked up this edition in the airport for 4 dollars...how could you go wrong? Anyone would be proud to place this on his or her bookshelf.

What more to write that others haven't? It's The Prince, Machiavelli's work, chances are you're coming in with a lot of preconceived notions, assumptions, or just intrigue.

First, the writing style. The book is divided into short essays. This makes it great for reading for 5 minute bursts or sitting down and reading at leisure. The language is natural and flowing, for the most part. Some of the references are to "contemporary" actions, which unless you study fifteenth-century Italian politics will be a bit over your head. Still, points are made, and examples usually at least have a sentence of background.

Now, the content. Not being in the business of power, I can't attest to the efficacy of the claims. The author certainly does a good job of making his case: using examples, hypotheticals, abstract theories and a dash of reason. I do now look at things like office politics, organized crime and international relations in a new light, trying to understand if the concepts still apply. Surprisingly, a number of them seem to play out no matter the stakes or timeframe. So for a new perspective, this book does deliver.

Power Politics (Understanding the Enemy)

The quintessential evil doers manual...knowing this will give you insights to all the power mongers of the planet!

Great condition for a used booked, or did I buy it new, can't remember. All I know that is was in great condition and got here on time. So it fulfill the role I needed it too.

I don't have the credentials to review this book! Current dissention in national politics and the development of deepening divisions of opinion is nothing new to the world. Machiavellian review was helpful in historical context in understanding political maneuvering today. Translation is convoluted to read but is more likely reflection of the language structures of the 16th century. Worthy of re-reading periodically as the human political model appears to have changed minimally in 500 years.

This is an excellent book! It is gripping with thought and well translated. The only gripe I have is that Christina Gauss did the introduction for this book and gives false information, saying that Mussolini used THE PRINCE to write a thesis for his doctorate...which he doesn't have or wouldn't need for an elementry education degree, which is what he had. Other than that mishap, Luigi Ricci, who translated the book, did a very good job!

This author simply gets one of the worst wraps in history. Machiavelli is usually looked at as a sinister, manipulative individual, but quite frankly, the guy is a realist. He simply called it like he saw it, and just like today, nobody wants to hear it.

National politics are not the only application for these words. This book applies to national, regional, local, business, and familial politics. To ignore it is foolish, to not read it is ignorant, and ignorance is not bliss in this instance. Reading this is by no means a guarantee to the corner office, but those who do can pick out when someone is trying to obtain that position. If you are a student of psychology or a people watcher, this book is in some ways deviously comical to use as a field guide.

For those aspiring individuals, you would do yourself well to read this, study it, and apply it. The concepts will work, even today, which is why this is necessary reading for all current and aspiring executives in the world. Whether to recognize the tactics or for manipulation or both the choice is yours alone. It's all about the relationships.

If you're reading this review, I'll assume you've come to realize how important this book is. Controversial, definitely, but worth reading. This particular edition is really nice. I haven't seen a book this cheap in a long time. For those who don't know, "The Prince" is a manuscipt written by Machiavelli to the Medici (I think) family in some province of Italy. It outlines the ways in which a ruler can maintain power by analyzing the actions of past rulers. It's short enough to keep you interested, and important enough to warrant buying this book.

Although the stated scope of the book (how rulers can maintain their position) is relatively narrow, the lessons of the book apply to a wide variety of situations. From business to politics, this book contains many of the essential lessons to succeed with power. While nobody should expect to learn how to stay in power after reading this book (this, of course, requires a great deal of experience), one can reasonably expect a good deal of insight into the way people think.

My *single* complaint about the book is that it is sometimes too dense to read casually. While not classifiable as an "intense" read, it falls somewhere between a historical textbook and an instruction manual.