S Langer

An incredible snapshot of life within Princedoms in the 1500's the brutal and tactical knowledge of international prowess is fascinating; the overtures of playing one side against another; using allies serendipitously to ones own nations success and fortitude. The book although short packs a punch with some vocabulary mainly unused today; it can at times be a challenge to fully understand all the undertones of this fantastic piece of literary history; essentially one of the founding of the realism ideology. The idea that the world is a cruel and unforgiving place where wits and tactics are of the most strategic importance in the play of nations. How fear and brutality can be used to harness the power of the population or to formalise your own demise. The book has 26 chapters all of which are relatively short but take many readings to fully comprehend the lessons in this authentic and idiosyncratic piece of geo-political literature.

Incredible book! I could not put it down with every page turned i was more and more captivated with the auto-biography of Two Tony's. The book is so wild; and portrays a life full of surprise, love, mistakes, revenge, humility and philosophical teachings. I almost wish I hadn't read the book; so I could read it again! Highly Recommended!