Niccolo's Smile : A Biography of Machiavelli
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.17 (837 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0374221871 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 0000-00-00 |
| Language | : | Italian |
DESCRIPTION:
"Machiavelli as a human being rather than an epithet" according to Craig Matteson. This is a concise and lively account of Machiavelli's life. It provides the general reader with much needed context and background in order to read Machiavelli's works with any kind of understanding. While there are good scholarly works that can provide the feeling of more intellectual heft, this book should not be underestimated simply because it is easy to read and doesn't require weeks to read.Machiavelli is one of those brand-name characters that evoke certain reactions in people in such a generalized way that people mistakenly believe they know something about the man and his work. This book can help debunk much of that received nonsens. Amazon Customer said that boot was always in turmoil much like fuedal japan. certainly clarfies fuedal italy and therefore the prince. that boot was always in turmoil much like fuedal japan.. Rather light but enjoyable biography of Machiavelli Virgil Machiavelli has been unfairly portrayed as the unethical and ultimately immoral original proponent of "realpolitik". By contrast he was a strong patriot of his native Florence, a city-state surrounded by larger, more powerful political entities and forced to participate in various alliances and rivalry's in order to insure it's own political survival.Known more for "The Prince" (His other writings such as "Discourses on Livy" and "The Art of War" are not as well known) than anything else, Machiavelli was also a great supporter of Florence's republican form of government. He understood that a nation needed it's own citizen army rather than de
Machiavelli was a charming figure who was both famous and powerless, both loved and reviled we see him here for the first time not as an intimidating, cynical icon of European political thought but as a subtle, modern and sagacious man whose smile captivated his friends, disarmed his foes - and preserved his inviolable personal freedom.. On these subjects Machiavelli wrote no books: the text of his philosophy is his life itself, a life that was filled with paradox, uncertainty and tragic drama. Nicolo Machiavelli's works on the theory and practice of statecraft are classics, but Virali suggests that his greatest accomplishment is his robust philosophy of life - his deep beliefs about how one should conduct oneself as a modern citizen in a republic, as a responsible family member, as a good person. IN NICOLO'S SMILE, Maurizio Virali brings to life the fascinating writer who was the founder of modern political thought. Here is an extraordinary man in all his complexity and brilliance - a vivid narrative of Machiavelli's love and friendships, the rewards and perils of being an adviser to prices, his travels and adventures and the challenges and dangers of both his youth and his old age
All rights reserved. Jay FreemanCopyright © American Library Association. From BooklistMachiavellian is a pejorative term suggesting serpentine scheming and use of immoral, ruthless means to achieve desired ends; those ends usually include the maintenance of power at all costs. In Viroli's view, his longing for a powerful ruler was not merely based on a cynical wish to see power exercised; rather, Machiavelli hoped for a strong and, if necessary, devious ruler who could rule effectively but also wisely and jus