The Prince

De: Niccolo Machiavelli

Narrado por: Grover Gardner

From his perspective in Renaissance Italy, Machiavelli's aim in this classic work was to resolve conflict with the ruling prince, Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli based his insights on the way people really are rather than an ideal of how they should be. This is the world's most famous master plan for seizing and holding power. Astonishing in its candor The Prince even today remains a disturbingly realistic and prophetic work on what it takes to be a prince, a king, or a president. When Machiavelli was removed from his post in his beloved Florence, he resolved to set down a treatise on leadership that was practical, not idealistic. The Prince he envisioned would be unencumbered by ordinary ethical and moral values. Even today, this sixteenth-century classic has become essential listening for every student of government, and is the ultimate audiobook on power politics.

Public Domain (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Politics Demonized But Told Like It Is

The Prince, course, was written by Niccolo Machiavelli, and narrated by, Grover Gardner. The western world’s seminal work on power politics. If you read this some time ago, you may have forgotten that it was Italian Florentine power politics. During his initial years of city management the Medici’s had been overthrown by a democratic surge by would be democratic partisans. When Medici returned in 1513 Machiavelli had been removed from power and this work was his effort to show the Prince, the ruler to be that the Prince could learn much by reemploying Machiavelli by demonstrating to the Prince, Machiavelli’s cunning and ruthlessness. In this work Machiavelli postulates how to manage his citizen population, conquer foreign peoples, ones political enemies, and control the European power sources. Simply put political control by cunning, duplicity and if necessary bad faith. The last 25% of the book is a history of Fourteenth Century Northern Italian Wars that exemplify the arguments presented by Machiavelli.

Thus, the book is a primer on how to wield power. Could be a good book for the new American administration to review. Well, let’s hope they do not know what old Niccolo and we are talking about. If you are a political scientist, or just a political junkie, this is required reading.

The terms parted by Machiavelli are put into the simplest verbiage to convey a most complex philosophical understanding of politics or diplomacy based primarily on considerations of given circumstances. Its argument is let’s not hesitate to spread our power to achieve our means notwithstanding the humanity that may stand in the way. Easy to read (listen to) and easy to learn; just hard to bear as a humanistic being. Yet, again and again, Machiavellianism has more often prevailed than it has not.

What I find interesting in the story is that it was written for Lorenzo de Medici, but there is no evidence that Lorenzo ever read the work that was delivered to him as a gift by Machiavelli. Well, if Lorenzo didn’t know better about its importance you do so go ahead. Read it. You will enjoy its demonic character.

I heard so many good things....

What did you like best about The Prince? What did you like least?

"Every C Level exec read this book" Well maybe a read is beter a listen is dry as toast.

Love this book!

I’m on my third listen. I had to read this in college years ago but didn’t understand it. Now, being a history buff, it’s truly remarkable! I had no idea Machiavelli had so much influence on politics during his life until I became familiar with him in other historical books. I love that it gives a background of Machiavelli in the intro! The narration is great also!

He is right and wrong.

He is right and wrong. The reason is in the details where the devil hides. It's worth the journey to find him.

Time spent with Grover Gardner is always a win

The Prince ... well, not much of a book, even if Machiavelli lived during a fascinating time in Italy. There are lots of clear and common sense thoughts put together as to what it takes to be a successfully reigning prince. There's nothing 'Machiavellian' about The Prince, really - none of it is nefarious. It's just that Machiavelli makes a lot of salient points in laying out that a long reign doesn't come to a thoroughly benevolent ruler. A ruler must strategize, plan and execute (and yes, that means murdering those that may covet or endanger your seat of power). The Prince is a straight forward treatise - basta.

As for Grover Gardner - his is a voice I'll always love listening to. He could read the phone book (do those things still exist?) and I'd enjoy listening to him rattling down names and numbers. Great voice!