Politics has never been a strong suit for me, perhaps even more so with politics in the Renaissance era. Niccolò Machiavelli embodied the spirit of the Renaissance and embraced the teachings of the Middle Ages and incorporated them for a modern audience; a re-appreciation that he has hoped to inspire the prince of his nation to take on board.

Machiavelli conveys a sense of insight into his wisdom, despite the tendencies he holds towards ruthlessness, cunningness, scepticism of humanity, and one's need to strive for self-reliance. These teachings are fascinating, no doubt, but unfortunately lacks the ability to hold me due to my severe ignorance of the topic and the context in which he serves this text. That being said, I appreciated what it could do for me and one that I would hope to return to in the future once I have accumulated enough knowledge to serve as an anchor for my readthrough.