The Prince

That Machiavelli&#146;s name has become synonymous with cold-eyed political calculation only heightens the intrinsic fascination of <i>The Prince</i>&#151;the world&#146;s preeminent how-to manual on the art of getting and keeping power and one of the literary landmarks of the Italian Renaissance. Written in a vigorous straightforward style that reflects its author&#146;s realism this treatise on states statecraft and the ideal ruler is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how human society actually works.