Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
When Lorenzo de' Medici seized control of the Florentine Republic in 1512, he summarily fired the Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Signoria and set in motion a fundamental change in the way we think about politics. The person who held the aforementioned office with the tongue-twisting title was none other than Niccolò Machiavelli, who, suddenly finding himself out of a job after 14 years of patriotic service, followed the career trajectory of many modern politicians into punditry. Unable to become an on-air political analyst for a television network, he only wrote a book. But what a book The Prince is. Its essential contribution to modern political thought lies in Machiavelli's assertion of the then revolutionary idea that theological and moral imperatives have no place in the political arena. "It must be understood," Machiavelli avers, "that a prince ... cannot observe all of those virtues for which men are reputed good, because it is often necessary to act against mercy, against faith, against humanity, against frankness, against religion, in order to preserve the state." With just a little imagination, readers can discern parallels between a 16th-century principality and a 20th-century presidency. --Tim Hogan
Product Description
Rejecting the traditional values of political theory, Machiavelli drew upon his own experiences of office in the turbulent Florentine republic to write his celebrated treatise on statecraft. While Machiavelli was only one of the many Florentine "prophets of force," he differed from the ruling elite in recognizing the complexity and fluidity of political life.
Translated by George Bull
Introduction by Anthony Grafton
Book Description
A new translation of Machiavelli's political classic argues that the work was an attack on the advice-books for princes published by his contemporaries as well as a response to the world of Florentine politics.
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Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 307
 Better than expected January 28, 2010
Thu Huong T. Vu (Houston, TX USA)
To be honest, I've never like these types of books. I bought this book as a reading requirement for one of my class and was dreading how long and archaic it might be. But when I started reading it- voila!- it's not that long and boring after all. Much better than some other required reading you have to read over the year. The book written by Machiavelli itself isn't long. What's long is the notes that came after every chapter. And even though it was labeled like a chapter, the longest wwas only a few pages; some was as short as two paragraphs!
There are many who likes this book, I'm sure. But for those that don't like required reading like me (I preferred reading for pleasure, not required), this book, while not an easy read, is quite light and might even be enjoyable!
 A fantastic tour de force for political realism January 25, 2010
Dallas Foley (Austin, TX)
Written with an accessible yet supremely elegant prose, I found Machiavelli's most famous work a delightful, provocative chronicle of political realism. Written as an open letter to a Renaissance-era ruler, Machiavelli prescribes the ins and outs of how to seize, defend and expand a kingdom, using countless historical examples to support his claims. However, The Prince finds is true power not in the political answers it offers to its readers, but the difficult questions it raises. In today's day and age, chances are, if you're on Amazon.com reading this review, you're living in a democracy. You were probably raised to revere democratic and republican ideals, and if that's the case, you will feel uncomfortable reading The Prince at times, although I found this aspect exciting. Machiavelli seems to unapologetically endorse oppression, violence and cruelty at times, but does so in pragmatic way that will make you question your ideals. These moments represent what I personally love about books, and what I consider to be the true power of literature - and Machiavelli's work, despite being a relatively short 129 pages, has them in spades.
Unlike a few reviewers, I had no problem with the translation. I haven't tried reading any other versions, but I found the Enriched Classic version very pleasant and definitely readable; in fact, I was impressed with how well Machiavelli's Italian was translated into such beautiful, flowing English. It's a great size, and you can take it pretty much anywhere, so if you're like me and tend to cram your reading into your fleeting moments of free time throughout the day, it's perfect. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It no doubt deserves its status as a classic, and I heartily recommend it to anyone willing to consider politics from a different angle.
 make peace not war January 2, 2010
Matthew Bogusz (New Providence, NJ USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I almost became a general because I read this. It teaches good strategies. There's some good quotes you can use in Facebook too.
Only One End, but Many Means August 6, 2009
Matthew Dodd (Virginia, USA)
After many years of hearing and reading about Machiavelli and this timeless classic, I decided to read it for myself. Not only did I instantly appreciate the book's `classic' status, my experience was enhanced by choosing this "enriched classic" version. Being my first "enriched classic," I was very pleasantly surprised with the notes and commentary in the introduction and at the end of the book. They prepared me well for the book, and helped me put Machiavelli's words into meaningful contexts.
The book was organized into twenty-six small chapters, each dealing with a specific situation that a ruler is likely to face: dealing with soldiers and mercenaries; how the strength of regimes are measured; how to govern different types of lands and lands acquired by different means (e.g. lands that are used to governing themselves, lands acquired by force, lands acquired by heredity, lands acquired by the aid of others, lands acquired by treachery, ecclesiastical lands, etc.). Machiavelli provided many historical examples to illustrate his points, and show what happens when rulers did not practice his points. I understand how Machiavelli has earned his "the ends justify the means" reputation - his observations and discussions about rulers maintaining power and control are interesting, logical, and singularly focused.
I believe this book is written in such a way that readers will draw their own conclusions about the author's intentions, and the book's main points or themes. For me, the book was more than just a historical analysis of the rulers and regimes of Machiavelli's time, it was his primer for rulers of all times.
The book's main principle was that rulers are measured by how long they rule, and everything they do should be calculated to strengthening their power and control. While he acknowledged that fate plays a large role in the success of rulers, Machiavelli repeatedly stressed that rulers must be able to adapt their methods to fit the realities of the situations they face. He argued that rulers should willingly be a blend of good and evil depending on when each is best for them. Fate changes, and Machiavelli believed it is best to be bold and aggressive than to be passive - be proactive, not reactive; make things happen vice waiting for things to happen.
I now understand why this book has survived through the centuries, and why so many government, corporate, and civilian leaders have read it and talked so much about it - it is one heck of a thought-provoking book that demands great judgment from its readers. If you want to read this classic book, I strongly recommend you exercise your great judgment right from the start by choosing this "enriched classic" version.
 Pretty damn sad this stuff is being applauded July 28, 2009
Eric
4 out of 23 found this review helpful
It comes as no surprise that those who are looking for power find an excuse to misuse it as a huge relief. After all, if others aren't playing the game, it is so much easier to win, right?
Well, things are changing. MOST Americans are using these tactics today. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Everybody is screwing each other over with a smile on their face and their fingers crossed behind their backs.
So while it is fun to envision a glorious future after these techniques are mastered, I for one have first-hand experience of having them used AGAINST me without any knowledge whatsoever of them happening. In only a small amount of time, because of a small number of ruthless people practicing Machiavellian tactics, I lost nearly everything. Several years of my life spent for naught. My reputation tarnished, my fortune and relationships gone.
So you say, I must have been naive, right? You say, that is the purpose of these books, right? These books are good not only for manipulating but also for avoiding being manipulated. On the contrary, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody. I'd already read 'The Prince' and '48 Laws of Power,' had them on my bookshelf, referenced them every day and was aware of what others tried on a daily basis. Yet, there are some attacks for which you cannot prepare a defense because you just cannot see them coming.
I find it utterly disgusting to see so many Americans applauding this garbage. Instead of working toward a society in which cruelty is minimized, we are working toward our own destruction.
It is easy for people to applaud amorality (the easy way) until it happens to them. The trend in society right now is to praise this garbage as the answer to all of life's problems, but once its effects become even more pronounced in our society many years from now, I know we will see a turn in the other direction. A corrupted society cannot stand. I cannot wait for that day.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 307
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