Synopses & Reviews
He is the most infamous and influential political writer of all time. His name has become synonymous with cynical scheming and the selfish pursuit of power. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Niccoland#242; Machiavelli, Florentine diplomat and civil servant, is the father of political science. His most notorious work, andlt;Iandgt;The Prince, andlt;/Iandgt;is a primer on how to acquire and retain power without regard to scruple or conscience. His other masterpiece, andlt;Iandgt;The Discourses, andlt;/Iandgt;offers a profound analysis of the workings of the civil state and a hardheaded assessment of human nature. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Machiavelliand#8217;s philosophy was shaped by the tumultuous age in which he lived, an age of towering geniuses and brutal tyrants. He was on intimate terms with Leonardo and Michelangelo. His first political mission was to spy on the fire-and-brimstone preacher Savonarola. As a diplomat, he matched wits with the corrupt and carnal Pope Alexander VI and his son, the notorious Cesare Borgia, whose violent career served as a model for andlt;Iandgt;The Prince. andlt;/Iandgt;His insights were gleaned by closely studying men like Julius II, the and#8220;Warrior Pope,and#8221; and his successor, the vacillating Clement VII, as well as two kings of France and the Holy Roman Emperor. Analyzing their successes and failures, Machiavelli developed his revolutionary approach to power politics. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Machiavelli was, above all, a student of human nature. In andlt;Iandgt;The Prince andlt;/Iandgt;he wrote a practical guide to the aspiring politician that is based on the world as it is, not as it should be. He has been called cold and calculating, cynical and immoral. In reality, argues biographer Miles Unger, he was a deeply humane writer whose controversial theories were a response to the violence and corruption he saw around him. He was a psychologist with acute insight into human nature centuries before Freud. A brilliant and witty writer, he was not only a political theorist but also a poet and the author of andlt;Iandgt;La Mandragola, andlt;/Iandgt;the finest comedy of the Italian Renaissance. He has been called the first modern man, unafraid to contemplate a world without God. Rising from modest beginnings on the strength of his own talents, he was able to see through the pious hypocrisy of the age in which he lived. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Miles Unger has relied on original Italian sources as well as his own deep knowledge of Florence in writing this fascinating and authoritative account of a genius whose work remains as relevant today as when he wrote it.
Review
"A captivating biography of Italian philosopher and playwright Niccoland#242; Machiavelli. . . . Lively, well-researched portrait of a master political strategist."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Kirkus Reviews andlt;/Iandgt;
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"An excellent analysis of the influential thinker and his renowned writings."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Booklistandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/iandgt;
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"This is a superb biography, of interest to anybody -- not just management consultants -- trying to get along in the contemporary world. . . . Unger is superb at providing context, so readers grasp how Machiavelli's thinking was received during his lifetime, how it has been interpreted/misinterpreted through the centuries, and how it offers meaning in the 21st century."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Steve Weinberg, andlt;Iandgt;USA Todayandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;
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"Excellent. . . . wonderfully readable."
--Jessica Warner, National Post
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"Unger skillfully narrates the details of a life led during one of the greatest periods of artistic, political, and literary activity in Western history. . . . [He] does a wonderful job of bringing Machiavelli to life."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Alan Wolfe, andlt;Iandgt;The New Republicandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;
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"For most people, 'Machiavellian' means ruthless, the application of power without remorse. Thanks to a fascinating portrait by Miles J. Unger, the real Machiavelli comes across the centuries as something more: a man with whom many of us might like to spend a few hours in rich conversation."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Repps Hudson, andlt;iandgt;St. Louis Post-Disptachandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/iandgt;
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"A wonderful biography. . . . Unger includes details you didn't hear in World History 101, details that make fascinating reading and should put the book on the list of any history buff."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;John Monaghan, andlt;Iandgt;The Providence Journal-Bulletinandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;
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"A
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"A
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"A
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"A thoughtful and well-informed study of the life of the Florentine diplomat and government bureaucrat. . . . Unger presents a side of the cynical and jaded diplomat rarely known by even those who had read Machiavelliand#8217;s notorious collection of practical and often amoral advice to the prospective ruler."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Karl Rove
Review
"Excellent. . . . wonderfully readable."andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Jessica Warner, andlt;Iandgt;National Postandlt;/Iandgt;
Synopsis
A lively and authoritative biography of Niccolo Machiavelli, who changed the way we think about politics and even about human nature.
Synopsis
A lively and authoritative biography of Niccolo Machiavelli, who changed the way we think about politics and even about human nature.
About the Author
Miles J. Unger is an art historian and journalist. Formerly the managing editor of andlt;iandgt;Art New Englandandlt;/iandgt;, he served for many years as a contributing writer to andlt;iandgt;The New York Timesandlt;/iandgt;.andnbsp;In addition toandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;Michelangelo: A Life in Six Masterpiecesandlt;/iandgt;, he is the author of andlt;iandgt;The Watercolors of Winslow Homerandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo deand#8217; Mediciandlt;/iandgt;; andandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;Machiavelli: A Biography. andlt;/iandgt;Visit MilesJUnger.com.