This book I picked up in Melbourne at Dymocks and it's a spectacular accumulation of Machiavelli's work. It basically includes all of The Prince, selections from both Discourses on Livy and The Art of War, and additionally includes some of his Florentine Histories. So basically covers a lot of his major works and other additions including his other writings including a play and a novella. Machiavelli was a pioneer and tragic genius in his time, who after creating a fully-fledged fighting force to battle with the tyrannical Medici, who were aided by the Catholic Church, and subsequently was tortured and incarcerated, and after not confessing for his rebellion, was cast aside and exiled on the outskirts of the city, where he composed many works that are still read and relevant today. He would provide as an inspiration for figures later on in Italian history including Antonio Gramsci who cited Machiavelli as a major influence on his work.
