The Life of Niccolò Machiavelli

by Roberto Ridolfi, Cecil Grayson (translator)

Genres: Renaissance, History

351 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lost serious interest once Ridolfi revealed his hand by delivering a panegyric to Savonarola and rebuking Machiavelli, who, it should be stressed, knew the friar first-hand, for judging Savonarola a fraud and a lair. In an attempt to assuage his own bruised moral sensibilities and still retain his admiration for Machiavelli, Ridolfi too quickly explains away the comment as a mere jest, a throwaway comment made among friends. This is seriously wrongheaded scholarship and mars the overall work.

[Mark Singer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than it deserved, and felt let down by the time that I finished. Ridolfi tends to ramble on and get lost in the details.
A good biography of an historical figure should have maps, and mention when an event happens. There are no maps, no timelines, and I had to consult elsewhere for the years when things happened. At least it had footnotes.