The Prince and Other Writings (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
- New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars
- Biographies of the authors
- Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events
- Footnotes and endnotes
- Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work
- Comments by other famous authors
- Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations
- Bibliographies for further reading
- Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate
Defining human nature as inherently selfish, Machiavelli proposes that social conflict and violence are natural phenomena that help determine the ablest, most versatile form of government. Asserting that idealism has no place in the political arena, The Prince primarily addresses a monarch’s difficulties in retaining authority. Considered the first expression of political realism, it has often been accused of advocating a political philosophy in which “the end justifies the means.” Indeed the emphasis in The Prince on practical success, at the expense even of traditional moral values, earned Machiavelli a reputation for ruthlessness, deception, and cruelty. Many scholars contend, however, that the author’s pragmatic views of ethics and politics reflected the realities of his time, as exemplified by the Medici family of Florence.
Debates about Machiavelli’s theories are as lively today as they we
Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian politician, diplomat, founding father of political science, and author of the preeminent political treatise, The Prince. Born in Florence, Italy, Machiavelli held many government posts over his lifetime and often took leading roles in important diplomatic missions. During his time visiting other countries and nation states, Machiavelli was exposed to the politics of figures like Ceasare Borgia and King Louis XII, experiences which would inform his writings on state-building and politics. Machiavelli’s political career came to an abrupt end when the Medici overthrew Florence, and he was held as a prisoner under the new regime. Tortured for a short time, he was released without admitting to any crime or treason. At this point, Machiavelli retired and turned to intellectual and philosophical pursuits, producing his two major works, The Prince and Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livy. He died in 1527 at the age of 58.
Read more from Niccolo Machiavelli
The Prince Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prosperity & Wealth Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Prosperity Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Discourses Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Art of War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prosperity Bible: The Greatest Writings of All Time on the Secrets to Wealth and Prosperity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/54 Books by Niccolo Machiavelli Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Machiavelli on Business: Strategies, Advice, and Words of Wisdom on Business and Power Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prince: Second Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5History of Florence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Quotable Machiavelli Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Art of War Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHarvard Classics: All 71 Volumes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prince: Bilingual Edition (English – Italian) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings30+ Classic Philosophy Book Collection: The Art of War, Poetics, The Republic, The Meditations, The Prince and others Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret of Prosperity: The Greatest Writings on the Art of Becoming Rich, Strong & Successful Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Quotable Machiavelli Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Prince: Bilingual Edition (English – German) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prince with Study Guide: Deluxe Special Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Prince and Other Writings (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
Related ebooks
The Prince: Second Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Delphi Complete Works of Leo Tolstoy (Illustrated) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Beautiful and Damned Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Delphi Complete Works of Friedrich Nietzsche (Illustrated) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Persian Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Enlightenment Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsComplete Essays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Side of Paradise Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Poems by Victor Hugo Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Social Contract, A Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and A Discourse on Political Economy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Selected Writings Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAristotle: Complete Works (Golden Deer Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prince Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Dover Reader Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDelphi Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (Illustrated) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crime and Punishment Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Great Gatsby Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Odyssey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Birth of Tragedy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Parallel Lives: Complete Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Delphi Collected Works of Blaise Pascal (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHarvard Classics Volume 40: English Poetry 1: Chaucer To Gray Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDon Quixote Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Republic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Story of the Golden Age of Greek Heroes: Pictured & Illustrated Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Praise of Folly: Updated Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Spirit of the Laws Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Portrait of a Lady Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Philosophy For You
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Buddha's Guide to Gratitude: The Life-changing Power of Everyday Mindfulness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bhagavad Gita (in English): The Authentic English Translation for Accurate and Unbiased Understanding Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Daily Stoic: A Daily Journal On Meditation, Stoicism, Wisdom and Philosophy to Improve Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Inward Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Course in Miracles: Text, Workbook for Students, Manual for Teachers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Complete Papyrus of Ani Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Be Here Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lessons of History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lying Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sun Tzu's The Art of War: Bilingual Edition Complete Chinese and English Text Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bhagavad Gita Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Loving Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Courage to Be Happy: Discover the Power of Positive Psychology and Choose Happiness Every Day Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Denial of Death Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The School of Life: An Emotional Education: An Emotional Education Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Republic by Plato Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tao Te Ching: A New English Version Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Prince and Other Writings (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
93 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent introduction to this figure so important to the development of the state and politics. There is a very good biographical sketch of Michiavelli that places him in the historical and geographical context of the time, begins with a chronology, has maps, then selections of his writings. He lived a full life in difficult times.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5To write a review of a classic of this type is a fool’s game. The Prince is a discussion of how individuals can keep control of principalities and kingdoms. Its writing has influenced people throughout the ages. And the mere fact that the book has lasted this long is an indication of the power it contains.But now, to the more casual reader. Not surprisingly, this is not an easy read. The sentences are circuitous and, to be honest, so is some of the logic. There are good points throughout. However, as I read them, I began to wonder about some of the conclusions he was making.There are business books out there (hang in there with me, this will tie in) where the authors have a premise they want to make. Then they go out and find successful (or unsuccessful – depending on the premise) companies which support that premise. To some extent, this is the way it felt with Machiavelli – he has a point he wants to make, and finds the events in history that support it. And, to be honest, some of his conclusions do not, completely, follow from the story he tells.It is a book that should be read by anyone that is involved in any politics – all types of politics, even office politics – because there are truths within. But the revelations have to be dug for.The additional material within this volume follows in the same form, if at a somewhat lower success rate. However, the absolute highlight for me – even better than The Prince – was the end of The Life of Castruccio Castracani of Lucca. After describing the aforementioned life, Machiavelli provides some of Castracani’s “retorts and stinging remarks.” These are excellent and should be required reading for all – even required before The Prince.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a very interesting read. Machiavelli was certainly an interesting man with some interesting, and somewhat complicated, ideas. I appreciate that this particular translation of The Prince included other related works by Machiavelli, including even some portions of his Discourses on Livy. The translation was also spectacular and I especially appreciate that the translator pointed out in the text each time that Machiavelli used the Italian word "virtu" or a related word, a word that is very important in Machiavelli's lexicon and has great implications for his philosophy. The introduction and notes at the end of each chapter were also excellent resources for further information about references that Machiavelli makes to events and people in his own life as well as throughout European history. The Prince is an interesting work all on its own, a foundational work for modern political philosophy, but this particular version made it much more accessible and for that I am very grateful!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The best way to manipulate a group of people. Very readable translation. GMA's bible in controlling the Filipino masses.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Reading The Prince made me realize that I liked Machiavelli's take on the justness and rightness of war better than the Catholic philosophers. To use a metaphor from a class I took on the Great Books on World Politics, where the Catholics tried to fit a square peg into a round hole, Machiavelli just used the round peg. In other words, rather than using convoluted logic to make a dubious argument as Aquinas insisted upon, Machiavelli used one maxim--uphold the benefit of the people of the state above all else--and drew conclusions from that. Sure, this may require unsavory acts, but at least he is upfront and honest about it. He doesn't cloak it in the way Aquinas and Augustine do.