Niccolo Machiavelli's Art of War is one of the world's great classics
of military and political theory. Praised by the finest military minds
in history and said to have influenced no lesser lights than Frederick
the Great and Napoleon, the Art of War is essential for anyone who
wants to understand the history and theory of war in the West and for
those familiar with The Prince and Discourse on Livy who seek to
explore more fully the connection between war and politics in
Machiavelli's thought.
Machiavelli scholar Christopher Lynch offers a sensitive and entirely
new translation of the Art of War, faithful to the original but
rendered in modern, idiomatic English. Lynch's fluid translation helps
listeners appreciate anew Machiavelli's brilliant treatments of the
relationships between war and politics, civilians and the military, and
technology and tactics. Clearly laying out the fundamentals of military
organization and strategy, Machiavelli marshals a veritable armory of
precepts, prescriptions, and examples about such topics as how to
motivate your soldiers and demoralize the enemy's, avoid ambushes, and
gain the tactical and strategic advantage in countless circumstances. To
help listeners better appreciate the Art of War, Lynch provides an
insightful introduction that covers its historical and political
context, sources, influence, and contemporary relevance. He also
includes a substantial interpretive essay discussing the military,
political, and philosophical aspects of the work.
