The Prince (Oxford World's Classics)

With all of the different translations of this classic available it can be difficult to decide which one to purchase. I would highly recommend this one above the others because of the authors long experience with the subject matter. This was not his first attempt to translate the original. As I recall the first time was about thirty years earlier. The introduction to this book is some 70 pages long and is invaluable to the reader as it puts one into the time frame and perspective of the original author, Machiavelli.I am pleased to have finally read The Prince and recommend this edition highly.

Bought as gift

Excellent book for art history, since this book deals mostly with the art of war. If this is your first "pre-modern" book then it might be better to look at a brief summary first beforehand so you have a feel for the book first.

It's a good book to read, if only for understanding the cultural reference of the word "Machiavellian."

In 1513 Niccolò Machiavelli wrote "The Prince," his famous examination of the acquisition and maintenance of power. The methods he advocated in the pursuit of power and the tactics he saw as wise were controversial from the time the book was published, and have been debated vigorously for the last five centuries.Machiavelli used examples from ancient and medieval history, generally unfamiliar to modern readers, to show how rulers rose and fell. He examined military matters and tactics, noted the threats to power that new leaders face, looked at the role of luck and fortune, offered his opinion of how leaders should view the common people, and listed actions leaders should take to avoid being held in contempt or hated, which would cause them to lose their positions.The author's motivations for writing "The Prince" have been debated down through the ages. The book has been vigorously condemned by many--much of the advice offered is certainly amoral or worse, but there are also some keen insights into human nature here, and knowing how the unscrupulous operate can help the reader avoid being injured by them.

A must read for anyone interested in politics. Machiavelli makes clear what takes place behind the rhetoric characteristic of politicians.

The introduction by Peter Bondanella was worth the purchase price of book. Reading footnotes was cumbersome at first, but they were put at the end probably because the explanations were rather extensive.

My kid ove it.

This is a very interesting document - a basis for future political science and philosophy. The translation is quite good and the book fairly easy to read despite its age. Machiavelli's views and advice to rulers are very interesting, and it is fun to see how they also apply to World history after the book was written. The only negative comment is to the author's attempt to interpret Machiavelli's purpose of writing the book. Apperantly numerous authors have throughout history tried to find a number of deeper explanations - other than the obvious - to try and get a job from the new rulers of Florence.

Purchased for my History course. Very useful introduction to this edition that sets the scene and gives you a very clear insight into Machiavelli, his times and works. Text size of this edition was adequate for me, but may be a little small for others.A thoroughly enjoyable read and definitely one of those books that everyone should probably read at least once.

An excellent read - the man wrote, without sentiment or flannel, a piece of sharp political insight. He didn't sugar coat things and this is perhaps why his name became synonymous with devious, manipulative politicing. However as one reads the work it becomes apparent that he was a very astute, informed and observant man who 'said it like it was'. Also apparent are the parallels with contemporary life and recent history. Fascinating stuff.

I had ordered this early enough for a present for my son Christmas after watching a TV program on it. Unfortunately it never arrived. After contacting the company and explaining my disappointment, it was resent immediately. Now it will be for his birthday. I haven't read it but I think it will be a most interesting read for him. The book was in excellent condition.

The (extremely useful and well written) notes are in a separate section at the end of the book.Thus to read it one must always have the book open at two pages simultaneously.It would have been far better to put the notes at the bottom of each main-text page.