“People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.”
―
―
“How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.”
― The Prince
― The Prince
“Necessity is what impels men to take action, and once necessity is gone, only rot and decay are left”
―
―
“All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.”
―
―
“There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.”
― The Prince
― The Prince
AJ’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at AJ’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by AJ
Lists liked by AJ

































