An exploration of Machiavelli’s poetry, love affairs, friendships, and his preoccupation with truth and perception.
Who was Niccolo Machiavelli and why should we consider him relevant to the problems and vexations of the modern world? Stephen Bowd and Alexander Lee aim to ‘defamiliarize’ Machiavelli.
Given that he is so well known, if only by name, and the subject of such grave misconceptions and prejudice, the authors set out to explain why he is not the ‘Machiavellian’ figure he is supposed to be, and that he was not just a political thinker.
Examining his frequently bawdy poetry, his comedies and his love affairs and friendships, this book will lead modern readers on an exhilarating and thought-provoking journey through Machiavelli’s mind, bringing him to life and illuminating why such a seminal thinker should be of urgent interest to us today.
Why Machiavelli Matters Now
Stephen Bowd and Alexander Lee
An exploration of Machiavelli’s frequently bawdy poetry, his comedies, love affairs, friendships, preoccupation with truth, falsehood, and perception – all topics of urgent interest to us today.Rights Sold
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Book Details
Imprint: Bloomsbury Continuum
Publication Date: 11-06-2026
Format: Hardback | 234 x 153mm | 224 pagesAbout the Authors
Dr Alexander Lee is fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick. After top degrees at Cambridge, he undertook doctoral research at Edinburgh University. He has held posts previously at Oxford, Université de Luxembourg and Bergamo. He is the author of a number of books, most recently Machiavelli: His Life and Times (Picador 2020) and The Imperial Idea in Fourteenth Century Italy (OUP 2018). He is a top scholar in his field.
Stephen Bowd is Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Edinburgh and has published extensively on the history of Venice and on the Renaissance. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and is committed to widening access to historical studies. He has presented his work to a wide range of non-academic audiences by means of live talks, newspaper interviews (eg. Corriere della Sera) and podcasts.
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