
The Prince
Penguin Classics
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Narrated by:
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Simon Callow
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
This Penguin Classic is performed by Simon Callow, actor and director, known for his roles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, and the BBC adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
As a diplomat in turbulent fifteenth-century Florence, Niccolò Machiavelli, knew how quickly political fortunes could rise and fall. The Prince, his tough-minded, pragmatic handbook on how power really works, made his name notorious and has remained controversial ever since. How can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? Examining regimes and their rulers the world over and throughout history, from Roman Emperors to renaissance Popes, from Hannibal to Cesare di Borgia, Machievalli answers all these questions in a work of realpolitik that still has shrewd political lessons for today.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was born in Florence, and served the Florentine republic as a secretary and second chancellor, as ambassador and foreign policy-maker. When the Medici family returned to power in 1512 he was suspected of conspiracy, imprisoned and tortured and forced to retire from public life. His most famous work, The Prince, was written in an attempt to gain favour with the Medicis and return to politics.
If you enjoyed The Prince, you might like Plato's Republic, also available in Penguin Classics.
Public Domain (P)2019 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
"Tim Parks's swift and supple new translation brings out all its chilling modernity." (Boyd Tonkin, Independent)
"A gripping work, and a gripping translation." (Nicholas Lezard, Guardian)
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Very well narrated
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I will say thus is my favorite audiobook narrator that I’ve ever heard on any book.
Great narration
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Well Done!
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I highly recommend
Great Penguins Classics book
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quick paced very informative
good good good good stuff that was really interesting
Bueno
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The performance is actually really good, but the narrators voice demand a silent listening environment as the pitch and volume have quite some range. This is difficult for my personal use of audio books eg walking in city and public. On the other hand he master both English Latin and Italian very good. So take the 3 stars as a middle value between 2 and 4/5 - definitely good for home use.
Better than expected
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Greatest Narrator for The Prince
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Best version to listen to
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Realpolitik for Dummies!!
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A fantastic exploration of tyrants
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