The Prince...
...by Pasta Fazul head, Niccolo Machiavelli. We've all heard of something done by sly others as being Machiavellian. Well, perhaps not M and others from Oz, and from the UK. But this 16th century book, written as a guide for those maturing as new royals, is full of useful scummy tips, on how to manipulate ones self through life, or at least to avoid having others doing so to you.Sadly, as with the I Ching, and most of what I scribble here, the wisdom doesn't exactly jump off the pages at us, but requires a few reads, with reflection in between.
If you've ever been told that, "the ends don't justify the means", usually by those for whom they surely do, you'll get the main theme of this political treatise, by an Italian diplomat.
And, as with most we read, the book should be seen in light of the times in which authors live. Italy was a repressive group of waring city like states, where, as with the strapped on equalizer in the US old west, men went about with both sword and daggers at their sides.
When I had the roles of Will Executor and Principle Trustee of.our folks tiny estate cast upon me, the first two books I reached for were those named above. Glad I did.
In a sibship of a half dozen, where money is at stake, it is good to know how to herd kittens.
Comments (9)
Pssst...BTW since you did not digress further on my 1st snow blog topic, as I anticipated, may I delete your digression if you have concluded your list of fish
by type and location that you have eaten in your lifetime.
All yours:
Yep I miss those forests too. Indians in rain forests selling fresh salmon. And the Friday fish fry supper clubs in Green Bay. Fresh caught lake trout gutted, wrapped in foil. stuffed with just cut rosemary from the garden, with corn---all on the grill. Wine sampling from vineyards around Stockton, with fresh truck farm CA veggies. Brain ' n egg breakfasts in NC and VA. Central American and Ethiopian restaurants in DC, and all those free national museums/monuments. Boston market street food, and duck boat/freedom train trips around town---Lexington and Concord minute man meeting places---shots heard around the world. Philly cheese steak Ohio state fair kiddos' 4 H exhibits and music, and Wyoming rodeos, with Medicine Hat spirituality. The sweat lodges and passing peace pipes. El Paso local jazz bars, with Tex-Mex eats-huevos rancheros. Mennonite Good 'n Plenty style eateries. Azorean New Bedford restaurants.So much more, and haven't even mentioned coastal Maine---or left the beloved place.
What a country..
Happy Thanksgiving!!
So perhaps the words of JC go right out the window.
But then, where does the phrase "God fearing" come from?
See if you can stay awake.