This semester, in Mr. Sellers' history class, we were asked to read a history novel and write a review about it. I chose to read The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli and it certainly did not disappoint me. For a history book, it wasn't that bad. The two parts of this review include a summary and critical analysis. This article will discuss the main points made by Machiavelli in his book and analyze his tone and writing style, with a general criticism. The Prince is a novel written in 1513 by Niccolò Machiavelli. This book contains 26 chapters, focusing on acquiring and maintaining political power. In other words, it could be seen as the “do's and don'ts” of the political world. In chapters one to eleven, the author discusses the different types of states or principalities. In chapters twelve through fourteen, the different armies and how the prince would act as a military leader are covered, while chapters fifteen through twenty-three discuss his behavior and character expectations. Finally, chapters twenty-four through twenty-six discuss Italy's horrendous political situation. The four principalities mentioned in the first eleven chapters are: hereditary, mixed, new, and ecclesiastical (religious). Hereditary principalities are inherited by the ruler of the country. Mixed principalities are additional territories added to the ruler's land. New principalities are obtainable in multiple ways. They can be obtained with one's own power or with the power of others. However, even extreme criminal acts or cruelty can lead to the acquisition of a new principality. In some cases the new principalities are civic principalities, conferred by the will of the people. The ecclesiastical principalities, however, belong to the Catholic Church. The... middle of the paper... I'm definitely thinking of a book like “Rise to Power for Dummies”). It provides a lot of information about the way people thought. From the way governments worked, to the way militaries operated, to the dos and don'ts of the political world. It almost seems that Machiavelli also has an "every man for himself" attitude. From reading the book, I can imagine that he has a strong opinion on maintaining stability and power to succeed. I would recommend the book to anyone considering a political career to see different points of view on the political ideas of another historical period. There are some points made by the author that can be applied today, but there are others that are cruel and hurtful and should not even be considered when considering how a government should be run. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolò. The prince. New York: Bantam Classics, 2003. Print.