Manuela Scarci’s excellent translation of Machiavelli’s most (in)famous work is accessible while at the same time respectful of his stylistic dignity. Welcome are this edition’s copious explanatory notes and helpful cross-references. Pleasing too are the accompanying extensive selections from the Discourses, along with ample portions of the Florentine Histories, The Art of War, and various literary works—all thoughtfully curated to substantiate the editor’s injunction against reliance solely on The Prince for an understanding of its author. And Jason Blahuta provides a provocative and learned introduction. He deftly places The Prince in the context of Machiavelli’s Renaissance, of his city, of his other works, and of his persistent themes. A great resource for a curious intellect, as well as for a university course in political thought.” — Timothy J. Lukes, Santa Clara University

“Scarci’s translation is clear and elegant, and it provokes the experienced reader with several subtle and intriguing choices. Blahuta includes relevant selections from eight of Machiavelli’s other works, as well as three letters, such that key themes of The Prince emerge more visibly within the context of Machiavelli’s overall project (and in sometimes surprising ways). This edition will be a useful resource for beginners and specialists alike.” — Kevin S. Honeycutt, Mercer University

“The book is meticulously structured…. [Its] centerpiece is a detailed analysis of The Prince, complemented by carefully selected appendices that include passages from “Discourses on Livy,” “Florentine Histories,” and other lesser-known works by Machiavelli.… This book is a comprehensive and accessible guide to Machiavelli’s works, offering a multifaceted view of his contributions to political theory and their enduring impact.” — Sevgican Akça, Teaching Philosophy

[Machiavelli] demands to be read—plainly and boldly, but also cautiously.”

[Machiavelli] can still engage our attention with remarkable immediacy, and this cannot be explained solely by the appeal of his ironic observations on human behavior. Perhaps the most important thing is the way he can compel us to reflect on our own priorities and the reasoning behind them; it is this intrusion into our own defenses that makes reading him an intriguing experience.”

There is something stimulating in Machiavelli’s forthrightness. Reading him, we are brought face to face, as nowhere else so vividly, with a question that few philosophers had dared to discuss: is statesmanship bound by morality?”

A publishing bull's-eye.

Richardson is speaking one-to-one. He is personal, intimate, confidential. That is at it should be.

This is the book that made the author's name into a dark symbol of unalloyed power and sinister political motives. That reputation, though, is somewhat undeserved, and this new recording brings fresh insights and interpretations to the work. Narrator Ian Richardson does a magnificent job with this classic text. He reads with such focus and mellifluous beauty that we must remind ourselves that the book is over 500 years old, and not a contemporary political tract. Richardson's diction and pacing are legendary from his long career on stage and in films, and he applies these talents effortlessly, emphasizing key phrases, speaking conversationally, and making it appear as if he’s reading to only one person at a time. If you've never read THE PRINCE, here is a wonderful opportunity to do so. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine