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Utopia

The Influential Classic
By Thomas More
Series: Capstone Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Utopia, Thomas More explores a fictional island society where social, legal, and political systems are structured to create an ideal community. The narrative delves into themes of justice, equality, and governance, inviting readers to reflect on the contrasts between this visionary society and contemporary European states. This philosophical work engages with the notion of what constitutes a perfect society.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this classic exploration of a perfect society ideal for those fascinated by visionary concepts of governance, socio-economic structures, and philosophical ideals. This work offers a profound reflection on human nature and societal organisation, appealing to thinkers interested in political theory and conceptual critiques of contemporary systems.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What we can learn from a Renaissance nowhere

In 1516, a book was published in Latin with the enigmatic Greek-derived word as its title. Utopia—which could mean either "good-place" or "no-place"—gives a traveler's account of a newly discovered island somewhere in the New World where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based purely on natural reason and justice. As the traveler describes the harmony, prosperity, and equality found there, a dramatic contrast is drawn between the ideal community he portrays and the poverty, crime, and often frightening political conditions of 16th century Europe. Written by Sir Thomas More (1477–1535)—then a rising intellectual star of the Renaissance and ultimately the advisor and friend of Henry VIII who was executed for his devoutly Catholic opposition to the king—Utopia is as complex as its author.

In the form of a Platonic dialogue, Utopia explores topics such as money, property, crime, education, religious tolerance, euthanasia, and feminism. Claimed as a paean to communism (Lenin had More's name inscribed on a statue in Moscow) as often as it has been seen as a defence of traditional medieval values, Utopia began the lineage of utopian thinkers who use storytelling to explore new possibilities for human society—and remains as relevant today as when it was written in Antwerp 500 years ago.

  • Explore the issues like feminism, euthanasia, and equality through Renaissance eyes
  • Early communist tract or a defence of medieval values? You decide.
  • Peer inside the enigmatic mind of the man who dared stand up to Henry VIII
  • Appreciate the postmodern possibilities of Platonic dialogue

Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this edition features an introduction from writer, economist, and historian Niall Kishtainy.

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    What we can learn from a Renaissance nowhere In 1516, a book was published in Latin with the enigmatic Greek-derived word as its title. Utopia—which could mean either "good-place" or "no-place"—gives a traveler's account of a newly discovered island somewhere in the New World where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based purely on natural reason and justice. As the...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Utopia by Thomas More often receives praise for its thought-provoking exploration of ideal societies and its satirical critique of European politics during the Renaissance. Reviewers appreciate More's imaginative vision and how it challenges readers to reflect on issues of justice, governance, and societal norms. It's recognised for its enduring influence on political philosophy and literature, sparking discussions about the balance between utopian ideals and practical governance.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781119754381

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 11 February 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Capstone Publishing Ltd

Contributors:

  • Series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon
  • Introduction by Niall Kishtainy

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 201.0mm

Weight: 340g

Pages: 240

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Best Sellers at Book Hero In Stock Books Non-Fiction Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Series: Capstone Classics Thomas More

About the Author

SIR THOMAS MORE was a rising intellectual star of Renaissance Europe. His brilliance made him an advisor and friend of King Henry VIII. More's Utopia contrasts the squalor and brutal politics of the England of his time with a picture of a peaceful and prosperous society.

NIALL KISHTAINY is a writer with interests in economics and in the history of ideas. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Warwick and has taught economic history at the London School of Economics. His most recent book, A Little History of Economics, was published by Yale University Press in 2017.

TOM BUTLER-BOWDEN is Series Editor of the Capstone Classics series, and has provided introductions for Plato's Republic, Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, Machiavelli's The Prince, Florence Scovel Shinn's The Game of Life and How to Play It, and Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he is also the author of 50 Economics Classics (2017) and 50 Politics Classics (2015).

www.butler-bowdon.com

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