by Christopher S. Celenza (2015)
“Machiavellian”—used to describe the ruthless cunning of the power-obsessed and the pitiless—is never meant as a compliment. But the man whose<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> name became shorthand for all that is ugly in politics was more engaging and nuanced than his reputation suggests. Christopher S. Celenza’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Machiavelli: A Portrait removes the varnish of centuries to reveal not only the hardnosed political philosopher but the skilled diplomat, learned commentator on ancient history, comic playwright, tireless letter writer, and thwarted lover. Machiavelli’s hometown was the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century, a place of unparalleled artistic and intellectual attainments. But Florence was also riven by extraordinary violence. War and public executions were commonplace—Machiavelli himself was imprisoned and brutally tortured at the behest of his own government. These experiences left a deep impression on this keen observer of power politics, whose two masterpieces—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Prince and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Discourses—draw everywhere on the hard-won wisdom gained from navigating a treacherous world. But like many of Machiavelli’s fellow Florentines, he also immersed himself in the Latin language and wisdom of authors from the classical past. And for all of Machiavelli’s indifference to religion, vestiges of Christianity remained in his thought, especially the hope for a redeemer—a prince who would provide the stability so rare in Machiavelli’s worldly experience.
Paul Moon
Against the background of a people in almost terminal crisis, Ngapua emerges as a potential saviour, with a career plagued by powerful opponents who at times conspire to defeat him. This epic journey into the life of one of the greatest Maori leaders of the last two centuries also offers what is, at times, a major reinterpretation of Maori politics.
E. Stanly Godbold, Jr., Robert H. Woody
"Drawing extensively upon Gadsden's writings and letters, Christopher Gadsden and the American Revolution ... recreates the ... life of South Carolina's foremost patriot during the American Revolution and illuminates further that major episode in American history. The book contains all the known details of Gadsden's personal life as well as a thorough analysis of his political and military careers"--Jacket.
Rob Goodman and Jimmy Soni
This biography of Marcus Cato the Younger -- Rome's bravest statesman, an aristocratic soldier, a Stoic philosopher, and staunch defender of sacred Roman tradition -- is rich with resonances for current politics and contemporary notions of freedom.
Robert Service
Trotsky is perhaps the most intriguing and, given his prominence, the most understudied of the Soviet revolutionaries. Using new archival sources including family letters, party and military correspondence, confidential speeches, and medical records, Service offers new insights into Trotsky.