Starred review from April 23, 2007
I
t was easy to find oneself on the wrong side of the ruler-du-jour in 16th-century Italy, which was controlled by corrupt families and defended by contract soldiers whose loyalties were readily purchased. Machiavelli ventured into this world with his diplomatic acumen, then, when he fell out of favor, turned his ambitious mind to brutal political writings, satirical plays and the occasional courtesan. A theoretician of conspiracy and duplicity, he was also a brilliant observer of his times. Sympathizing with Machiavelli, King provides a convincing portrait of one of the most misunderstood thinkers of all time. Machiavelli’s writings shed a dark light on the man, but less so when set against the tapestry of Florence’s Palazzo della Signoria. King’s book is everything a short biography should be and more, due to King’s sharp wit and zesty anecdotes: “As the document was being signed, a dove came through the window and flew over the heads of the Ten. The dove then crashed into a wall and fell dead at the feet of the Ten, but its appearance was still considered a good omen.” It provides a strong sense of the history of both the man and his times and a nice introduction to Machiavelli’s writings. Moreover, like one of Machiavelli’s bawdy plays, it is a riveting and exhilarating read, full of salacious details and brisk prose.
June 1, 2007
Popular art historian King (Brunelleschis Dome, 2000) here puts the ace diplomat of the Republic of Florence through the short-biography paces. Machiavelli was in office from 1498 to 1512, which forms the chronological backbone for Kings profile. It supports the authors development of Machiavellis personality, which will enlighten readers for whom his name is only the byword for political cynicism. He was certainly a Florentine patriot with imaginative ideas forthe republic'sforeign policy in the predatory arena of Renaissance Italy. But Kings apt quotations from Machiavellis correspondents indicate he possessed a tactlessnessthat created personal enemies, an indifference toward his wife butconcern for his sons, and a zest for life and intellectual discussion that attracted many friends. King brings out these aspects of Machiavelli's character throughdiscussion of hismissions to heavy hitters such as the French king and the papacy, and through Machiavellis life after the Medici pitched him into a torturers dungeon. He survivedto reflect about his experience of political power, and his historical footprints become a fascinating story in their own right in Kings highly readable portrait.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)