The Prince
Niccolò Machiavelli
34 people recommended it in 24 threads, 2007–2024.
1 commenter pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
I think The Prince would be good reading for the softer skills of the programming profession - and genuinely has really influenced management thinking; its short, so probably worth everyone's time.
The prince (Machiavelli) - an interesting read. It was intended as a guide to the young price Cesare Borgia from his teacher Machiavelli. The secret to enjoying it is not to judge it by modern morality.
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. Despite the stigma, and people thinking that Machhiavellian = "evil", I've found this book extremely clever and wise.
The Prince, Machiavelli => A little bit cynical but quite realistic about the nature of power in the hands of humans
Where it comes up
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