Skip to Main Content

Machiavelli for Moms

Maxims on the Effective Governance of Children*

About The Book

Running a kingdom is a lot like running a household. Or so says Suzanne Evans, who shares the story of her crazy yet brilliant year-long experiment: to “rule” one disobedient family using Machiavelli’s masterwork The Prince.

A mother of four, Suzanne Evans is fed up with tantrums, misbehavior, and general household chaos. Desperate to get the upper hand, she turns to Machiavelli’s famous sixteenth-century political treatise, The Prince, and wonders: Can Machiavelli’s rules on warfare and statecraft be suc­cessfully applied to parenting?

Using The Prince as a guide, Evans embarks on an unlikely experiment in “power parenting” and quickly learns that Machiavellian maxims can go a long way when running a kingdom—and a household.

• Study the actions of illustrious men: How to lead by example.

• It is dangerous to be overly generous: A good ruler sets limits.

• It is better to be feared than loved: Sometimes a leader has to be a meanie to ensure the security and obedience of the people.

Heralded as a “funny, creative, new parenting guide” (Parade.com), Machiavelli for Moms offers one woman’s unorthodox approach to modern motherhood—and stands as a manifesto for other moms willing to act on Machiavelli’s sometimes shocking but ever practical advice.

About The Author

© Paul Bersebach - The Orange County Register - ZUMAPRESS.com

Suzanne Evans is a former divorce lawyer and business/sports reporter who holds a PhD in history from UC Berkeley. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Business Journal, and other national publications. She is also a freelance writer for The History Channel website and the creator of The History Chef, a popular food history blog (LincolnsLunch.blogspot.com). She lives in Newport Beach, California, with her husband and four young children.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Touchstone (April 1, 2014)
  • Length: 256 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781451699586

Browse Related Books

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

  • Author Photo (jpg): Suzanne Evans
    © Paul Bersebach - The Orange County Register - ZUMAPRESS.com
    (0.1 MB)

    Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit