<p><b>''A ripping read ... fascinating, charming, enjoyably unorthodox'' <i>Daily Telegraph</i></b><br><br>Was Niccol¿ Machiavelli really the cynical schemer of legend - or was he a profound ethical thinker, who tried to save the democratic freedom of Renaissance Florence as it was threatened by ruthless dynasties? This revelatory biography shows us a man of fox-like dissimulation: a master of disguise in dangerous times. <br><br>''A gripping portrait of a brilliant political thinker, who understood the dangers of authoritarianism and looked for ways to curb them'' <i>The New Yorker</i><br><br>''Compelling ... this unconventional biography questions whether the philosopher deserves his reputation as an advocate for tyranny'' Julian Baggini, <i>Financial Times</i></p>