Redeeming The Prince: The Meaning of Machiavelli's Masterpiece

Description

In Redeeming "The Prince," one of the world's leading Machiavelli scholars puts forth a startling new interpretation of arguably the most influential but widely misunderstood book in the Western political tradition. Overturning popular misconceptions and challenging scholarly consensus, Maurizio Viroli also provides a fresh introduction to the work

Maurizio Viroli is professor emeritus of politics at Princeton University and professor of political communication at the University of Italian Switzerland in Lugano. His many books include Niccolo's Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli (Hill & Wang), Machiavelli's God (Princeton), and The Liberty of Servants: Berlusconi's Italy (Princeton).

"Maurizio Viroli wants us to grasp that The Prince was not the cynically devious tract it seems, but rather a patriotic appeal for a redeemer politician to arise and save Italy from foreign invaders and its own shortsighted rulers."--Michael Ignatieff, The Atlantic "[Viroli] makes a strong argument for rethinking widely held assumptions about The Prince."--Theodore Kinni, Strategy + Business "Whether or not they agree with Viroli, all students of Machiavelli owe him gratitude for calling our attention to an alternative way of conceiving The Prince."--Cary J. Nederman, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "[B]ecause of its subject and its rich scholarly argumentation, Redeeming The Prince proves exciting. Connoisseur of literature and tradition surrounding Machiavelli, Maurizio Viroli manages to deliver a clear and accessible can be a good introduction to Machiavelli text."--Quentin Verreycken, liens socio "As Machiavelli did, Viroli writes in a brisk, forceful style that reveals both a depth of thought and a vibrant passion for his subject."--Choice