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Quick answer: If you loved The Prince, try Discourses on Livy, The Art of War, The 48 Laws of Power, Leviathan, Meditations and The Republic. Each one explores power, politics, leadership or strategy, often with a clear-eyed view of human nature.
Niccolò Machiavelli wrote The Prince in 1513, after he lost his post in the Florentine government. A short handbook addressed to Lorenzo de' Medici, it advises rulers on how to gain and keep power, arguing that it is safer to be feared than loved if you cannot be both. Its realism made “Machiavellian” a word for cunning politics. Readers find it shocking and insightful. These books share its views on power.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discourses on Livy | Niccolò Machiavelli | Politics | readers who want Machiavelli's views on republics |
| The Art of War | Sun Tzu | Strategy | readers who want ancient strategy |
| The 48 Laws of Power | Robert Greene | Power | readers who want modern applications |
| Leviathan | Thomas Hobbes | Philosophy | readers who want political theory |
| Meditations | Marcus Aurelius | Stoicism | readers who want a ruler's private thoughts |
| The Republic | Plato | Philosophy | readers who want the classic |
| Politics | Aristotle | Philosophy | readers who want Greek political thought |
| Wolf Hall | Hilary Mantel | Novel | readers who want power in fiction |
| I, Claudius | Robert Graves | Novel | readers who like court intrigue |
| The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance | Paul Strathern | History | readers who want Machiavelli's world |
| House of Cards | Michael Dobbs | Novel | readers who like modern schemers |
| The Power Broker | Robert A. Caro | Biography | readers who want real power |
| Team of Rivals | Doris Kearns Goodwin | History | readers who like leadership |
| Machiavelli: His Life and Times | Alexander Lee | Biography | readers who want his life |
| Rules for Radicals | Saul D. Alinsky | Activism | readers who like power from below |
1. Discourses on Livy by Niccolò Machiavelli
Machiavelli's longer work on governing republics.
Best for: readers who want Machiavelli's views on republics.
2. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Advice on winning without fighting.
Best for: readers who want ancient strategy.
3. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Laws of power from history.
Best for: readers who want modern applications.
4. Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
Why people accept a strong ruler.
Best for: readers who want political theory.
5. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
A Roman emperor on self-control.
Best for: readers who want a ruler's private thoughts.
6. The Republic by Plato
Plato's ideal state and just rulers.
Best for: readers who want the classic.
7. Politics by Aristotle
Aristotle on governments.
Best for: readers who want Greek political thought.
8. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Thomas Cromwell rises at Henry VIII's court.
Best for: readers who want power in fiction.
9. I, Claudius by Robert Graves
A Roman emperor recalls his family.
Best for: readers who like court intrigue.
10. The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance by Paul Strathern
The family that ruled Florence.
Best for: readers who want Machiavelli's world.
11. House of Cards by Michael Dobbs
A politician schemes his way to power.
Best for: readers who like modern schemers.
12. The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro
How Robert Moses shaped New York.
Best for: readers who want real power.
13. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Lincoln's political genius.
Best for: readers who like leadership.
14. Machiavelli: His Life and Times by Alexander Lee
A biography of Machiavelli.
Best for: readers who want his life.
15. Rules for Radicals by Saul D. Alinsky
How organizers build power.
Best for: readers who like power from below.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Prince: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Prince. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more Machiavelli, read the Discourses on Livy to see his views on republics. The Art of War and The 48 Laws of Power apply strategy in different eras. If you want power in fiction, Wolf Hall and House of Cards are excellent. The Power Broker is a masterpiece about real political power.
Related: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli: Summary and Key Takeaways · The Art of War by Sun Tzu: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Prince about?
Advice for rulers on gaining and keeping power, written with blunt realism.
When was The Prince written?
In 1513, and published in 1532 after Machiavelli's death.
What does Machiavellian mean?
Cunning, scheming and willing to use any means to gain power.
Is it better to be feared or loved?
Machiavelli says it is best to be both, but safer to be feared if you must choose.
Was Machiavelli serious?
Scholars debate whether The Prince is sincere advice or satire.
How long is The Prince?
It is short, about 100 pages.
Who was it written for?
Lorenzo de' Medici, ruler of Florence.