Take a photo of a barcode or cover
rakoerose 's review for:
The Prince
by Niccolò Machiavelli
I’m surprised by how much I liked this, but I also warn that the writing style (at least in this translation) can be cumbersome to fully take in. It took me a large chunk of pages to get into the style and even then I found myself getting bored or lost by the longer sentences.
From this a general rule is drawn which never or rarely fails: that he who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined.
He highlights the amount of cruelty and independence is needed for a prince to stay in power, offering a realistic view on friendships and demeanors that could be their downfall. That hatred of the prince should be avoided at all cost, lest action come to a head. And yet, the prince should not be overly friendly to the people, for wont of upsetting the upper lords. It’s a delicate balancing act that Machiavelli explains incredibly well.
He’s also somewhat snarky, but it’s hidden in the subtext of the way he describes what princes should not do. That there are tactics that work that he does not fully approve of. I wish there had been more of that personality instead of straight lessons.
Yet it cannot be called talent to slay fellow-citizens, deceive friends, or to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; such methods may gain empire, but not glory.
I have a feeling I would have gotten more out of this had I known more of the princes he references. While his summaries of their actions were good, without a full picture it is hard to illustrate his points. But it’s an excellent resource into the obtaining and keeping of power by princes in the past. I will definitely return to this as I work on my own princely characters. ✨
From this a general rule is drawn which never or rarely fails: that he who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined.
He highlights the amount of cruelty and independence is needed for a prince to stay in power, offering a realistic view on friendships and demeanors that could be their downfall. That hatred of the prince should be avoided at all cost, lest action come to a head. And yet, the prince should not be overly friendly to the people, for wont of upsetting the upper lords. It’s a delicate balancing act that Machiavelli explains incredibly well.
He’s also somewhat snarky, but it’s hidden in the subtext of the way he describes what princes should not do. That there are tactics that work that he does not fully approve of. I wish there had been more of that personality instead of straight lessons.
Yet it cannot be called talent to slay fellow-citizens, deceive friends, or to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; such methods may gain empire, but not glory.
I have a feeling I would have gotten more out of this had I known more of the princes he references. While his summaries of their actions were good, without a full picture it is hard to illustrate his points. But it’s an excellent resource into the obtaining and keeping of power by princes in the past. I will definitely return to this as I work on my own princely characters. ✨