Author: Miles Unger

Published: 2011

Genre: Biography

Page Count: 415

Overall Critique: ⭐ 5 / 5

Composition Score: 📐 4.5 / 5

Average Reader Difficulty: 🔵 4 / 10

✅ Recommended to: ENTPs, History buffs, and political scientists

❌ Skip if: You're uninterested in historical politics

The Book

Context: Born in Florence, Italy, Machiavelli (1469–1527) lived and died alongside the rise and fall of the High Renaissance (1450–1550). During his lifetime, he bore witness to Italy's descent from cultural rebirth to violent ruin—driven by the insatiable appetite of ambitious upstarts, endless papal corruption, and a complex web of geopolitical proxy conflicts. As a diplomat and firsthand observer, these experiences laid the groundwork for his later writings: The Art of War (1521), Discourses on Livy (1531), and The Prince (1532). Though Machiavelli would become notorious for The Prince, this biography seeks to redefine him—challenging the unfair, two-dimensional villainy attached to his name.

Contents. Machiavelli: A Biography follows the Florentine diplomat, comedy playwright, and philosopher through his life as a biographical narrative—inviting the reader to observe Machiavelli through an up-close, third-person perspective rather than a dry recounting of facts. The book closely tracks his movements and thoughts, drawing heavily on Machiavelli’s prolific correspondence to animate his character. The reader will find a few helpful maps and a character index at the front of the book, and each of the 15 chapters focuses on a distinct period of his life.

"Should I Read This?"

On one hand

1. Unpredictably, some sentences are long-winded and clunky, disrupting the flow of reading.
2. The reader’s lack of familiarity with Renaissance vocabulary can slow reading down.
3. Footnotes are slightly distracting and, if skipped, leave the reader without valuable context.

On the other hand

1. The author is massively successful in dismantling the unfair reputation history has worked tirelessly to discredit Machiavelli with.
2. The writing is so captivating that it blurs the line between biography and storytelling.
3. Machiavelli and other notable figures are brought to life with vivid imagery and well-placed direct quotes. This piques the imagination and evokes emotion.
4. Quotes aren't filler—they're actively narrating the scenes.
5. The pacing is consistent, maintaining steady momentum throughout the read.

Judgment

Machiavelli: A Biography demonstrates how good writing can animate the history genre—or how poor writing can make it torturous. Miles Unger overwhelmingly succeeds in the difficult task of rebranding the unfairly villainized Machiavelli.

Outstanding Historical Writing

⭐ 5 / 5

📐 4.5 / 5

🔵 4 / 10