Ryan, Alan

Ryan succeeds in showing not only the historical importance of his subject's writings but also how relevant they are for contemporary readers. Those new to Tocqueville will find this book an easy-to-understand and appealing introduction.

Ryan's rich analysis of Aristotle serves as an introduction to his contemporaries, among them Greeks and Persians, but also the Arabs who first preserved and translated the Greek and ultimately modern philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes. His erudition regarding the history of political thought works superbly when discussing Machiavelli, since the philosopher's arguments make sense best when read in their historical context.

There is a danger that the publisher's boxed presentation of these two volumes will suggest simply a handsome object rather than a superb book that both general and academic readers will relish. Very highly recommended.