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Art of War
Art of War
Art of War
Ebook482 pages73 hours

Art of War

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Niccolò Machiavelli's Art of War is one of the world's great classics of military and political theory. Praised by the finest military minds in history and said to have influenced no lesser lights than Frederick the Great and Napoleon, the Art of War is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the history and theory of war in the West—and for readers of The Prince and Discourse on Livy who seek to explore more fully the connection between war and politics in Machiavelli's thought.

Machiavelli scholar Christopher Lynch offers a sensitive and entirely new translation of the Art of War, faithful to the original but rendered in modern, idiomatic English. Lynch's fluid translation helps readers appreciate anew Machiavelli's brilliant treatments of the relationships between war and politics, civilians and the military, and technology and tactics. Clearly laying out the fundamentals of military organization and strategy, Machiavelli marshals a veritable armory of precepts, prescriptions, and examples about such topics as how to motivate your soldiers and demoralize the enemy's, avoid ambushes, and gain the tactical and strategic advantage in countless circumstances.

To help readers better appreciate the Art of War, Lynch provides an insightful introduction that covers its historical and political context, sources, influence, and contemporary relevance. He also includes a substantial interpretive essay discussing the military, political, and philosophical aspects of the work, as well as maps, an index of names, and a glossary.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 24, 2009
ISBN9780226500324
Author

Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian diplomat, philosopher and writer during the Renaissance era. Machiavelli led a politically charged life, often depicting his political endorsements in his writing. He led his own militia, and believed that violence made a leader more effective. Though he held surprising endorsements, Machiavelli is considered to be the father of political philosophy and political science, studying governments in an unprecedented manner that has forever shaped the field.

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Rating: 3.6168832727272733 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The work is a completely new translation by Christopher Lynch. His goal was to produce as accurate and faithful translation as the two languages would allow. That job was handled particularly well. There are extensive notes on the translation process and word choice. If you are looking for a very faithful tranlation, this book is for you.However, it's not for me. I am an avid military history reader and I was looking forward to this book. But, the dense run on sentences that characterize the Italian original makes for tough going.Lynch begins the book with an extensive introduction that sets the work in context both in Italian politics and in Machiavelli's life. I thought that was quite good.He (Lynch) ends the volume with an interpretive essay that I thought was a bit choppy and is more focused on Machiavelli (no surprise, that's his field). I was hoping for more on the art of war part. This is a facinating book in that it was written by a civilian with very little practical experience in the field. More of a compare/contrast look at how his ideas stacked up against the more conventional masters would have been nice.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ah, yes, I think of this book whenever someone says, "The end justifies the means." A great book on life, love, and war, but not a great philosophy to follow if you are looking for peace.

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Art of War - Niccolò Machiavelli

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