The Prince

I had always heard that Machiavelli's "The Prince" was a must read on the basics of statecraft - now I know it is true. Machiavelli discusses the various forms and factors of creating, running and keeping a state. Still relevant, even in today's times.

Machiavelli's arguments are a bit "pat". He likes to establish dichotomies and trichotomies, and answer each category of possibility. It strikes me that he broke a lot of new ground, establishing "rules for statecraft", but I found much of his analysis either too simple, or his examples insufficiently explored, to be much educated. Perhaps that's a good thing; it's an amoral education he promises, anyway. The narration is not flawed, but not compelling, either.

The material itself is excellent and timeless. This production has been rendered in a competent fashion, but with little finesse. The work is accessible to almost all who would read (or, in this case, listen to) it; but I would have preferred a more robust and sympathetic reader.

I love this book. The reader is very good, and there is a nice introduction on the life of Machiavelli. Although written on how to run a state, I find it very insightful in dealing with most social situations particularily in the office.