One of the greatest political advisers of all time, Niccolò Machiavelli thought long and hard about how citizens could identify great leaders—ones capable of defending and enhancing the liberty, honor, and prosperity of their countries. Drawing on the full range of the Florentine's writings, biographer Maurizio Viroli gathers and interprets Machiavelli's timeless wisdom about choosing leaders. On display throughout are the insights that Machiavelli gained from direct knowledge of real political life, the study of history, and reflection on the political thinkers of antiquity.