- The Prince and Other Writings Barnes Noble Classics.
&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RThe Prince and Other
Writings&&L/I&&R, by &&LB&&RNiccolo Machiavelli&&L/B&&R, is part
of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble
Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality
editions at affordable prices to the student and the general
reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages
of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable
features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&R
* New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and
scholars
* Biographies of the authors
* Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and
cultural events
* Footnotes and endnotes
* Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books,
plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the
work
* Comments by other famous authors
* Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and
expectations
* Bibliographies for further reading
* Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate
All editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior
specifications; some include illustrations of historical
interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a
constellation of influences―biographical, historical, and
literary―to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring
works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R &&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&ROne
of history’s greatest political philosophers, &&LB&&RNiccolò
Machiavelli&&L/B&&R is notorious for his treatise &&LI&&RThe
Prince&&L/I&&R, which has become a cornerstone of modern
political theory. Written in 1513 and published in 1532, after
Machivelli’s death, &&LI&&RThe Prince&&L/I&&R immediately
provoked controversy that has continued unabated to this day.
&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RDefining human nature as inherently selfish,
Machiavelli proposes that social conflict and violence are
natural phenomena that help determine the ablest, most versatile
form of government. Asserting that idealism has no place in the
political arena, &&LI&&RThe Prince&&L/I&&R primarily addresses a
monarch’s difficulties in retaining authority. Considered the
first expression of political realism, it has often been accused
of advocating a political philosophy in which “the end justifies
the means.” Indeed the emphasis in &&LI&&RThe Prince&&L/I&&R on
practical success, at the expense even of traditional moral
values, earned Machiavelli a reputation for ruthlessness,
deception, and cruelty. Many scholars contend, however, that the
author’s pragmatic views of ethics and politics reflected the
realities of his time, as exemplified by the Medici family of
Florence. &&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RDebates about Machiavelli’s theories
are as lively today as they were 450 years ago, but no one
questions the importance of his fundamental contribution to
Western political thought. This newly translated edition also
includes Machiavelli’s &&LI&&RLetter to Francesco
Vettori&&L/I&&R, &&LI&&RThe Life of Castruccio
Castracani&&L/I&&R, and excerpts from the &&LI&&RDiscourses on
Livy&&L/I&&R.&&LBR&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in
0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&RWayne A. Rebhorn&&L/B&&R&&L/B&&R, Celanese
Centennial Professor of English at the University of Texas, has
authored numerous studies of Renaissance European literature. His
&&LI&&RFoxes and Lions: Machiavelli’s Confidence Men&&L/I&&R won
the Howard R. Marraro Prize of the Modern Language Association of
America in 1990. &&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R