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Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power
Ross King

Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power

Niccolò Machiavelli, the author of The Prince—a handbook on power that is one of the most influential and controversial books ever written—was no prince himself. Born to an established middle-class family, Machiavelli worked as a courtier and diplomat for the Republic of Florence and enjoyed some small fame in his time as the author of bawdy plays and poems. In this discerning new biography, which the Times Literary Supplement has called the best introduction to Machiavelli written in English in the past fifty years, King rescues Machiavelli’s legacy from caricature, detailing the vibrant political and social context that influenced his though and underscoring the humanity of one of history’s finest and most notorious political thinkers.

Book Details:

  • Author: Ross King
  • Published Year: 2009
  • Rights Sold
    • UK: Harper
    • US: Harper Perennial
Ross King

Ross King

Ross King is the bestselling author of books on Italian, French and Canadian art and history. Among his books are Brunelleschi’s Dome (2000), Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling (2002), The Judgment of Paris (Governor General’s Award, 2006), Leonardo and The Last Supper (Governor General’s Award, 2012), and Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies (Charles Taylor Prize, 2017). He has also published two novels (Domino and Ex-Libris), a biography of Niccolò Machiavelli, an...
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Book Reviews

  • "‘A convincing portrait of one of the most misunderstood thinkers of all time … King’s book is everything a short biography should be and more, thanks to King’s sharp wit and zesty anecdotes … A riveting and exhilarating read, full of salacious details and brisk prose."
    —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
  • "‘A convincing portrait of one of the most misunderstood thinkers of all time … King’s book is everything a short biography should be and more, thanks to King’s sharp wit and zesty anecdotes … A riveting and exhilarating read, full of salacious details and brisk prose."
    —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
  • "While “Machiavellian” has become a common epithet, Niccolò Machiavelli himself remains an indistinct figure, a situation Ross King aims to rectify by casting a vivid light on the controversial political philosopher … [He] knows the period inside out and works overtime to bring this intriguing figure to life."
    Boston Globe
  • "A scholarly examination of hot-blooded political intrigue to rival all those potboilers on the fiction lists … In this sympathetic new biography, rich with colourful anecdote, King puts flesh on the serpent’s bones."
    Montreal Gazette
  • "In this engrossing short biography…King marries his lightly worn expertise in the Italy of 500 years ago with a flair for rooting cultural landmarks in early realities."
    The Independent
  • "Succintly written and entertaining, wholly worthy of its subject."
    TLS