Common Sense, The Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine [Mass Market Paperback]

Thomas Paine (Author), Sidney Hook (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1994

Paine's daring prose paved the way for the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. This volume also includes "The Crisis," "The Age of Reason," and "Agrarian Justice."

--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Without...Paine, the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain."
-John Adams

--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England, in 1737, the son of a staymaker. He had little schooling and worked at a number of jobs, including tax collector, a position he lost for agitating for an increase in excisemen’s pay. Persuaded by Benjamin Franklin, he emigrated to America in 1774. In 1776 he began his American Crisis series of thirteen pamphlets, and also published the incalculably influential Common Sense, which established Paine not only as a truly revolutionary thinker, but as the American Revolution’s fiercest political theorist. In 1787 Paine returned to Europe, where he became involved in revolutionary politics. In England his books were burned by the public hangman. Escaping to France, Paine took part in drafting the French constitution and voted against the king’s execution. He was imprisoned for a year and narrowly missed execution himself. In 1802 he returned to America and lived in New York State, poor, ill and largely despised for his extremism and so-called atheism (he was in fact a deist). Thomas Paine died in 1809. His body was exhumed by William Cobbett, and the remains were taken to England for a memorial burial. Unfortunately, the remains were subsequently lost.

--This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Meridian (January 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452009219
• ISBN-13: 978-0452009219
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

127 of 131 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, Revolutionary, and Worth a Read, November 13, 2006

By 

R. DelParto "Rose2" (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

In an unrelenting quest to understanding the history of the United States, one obscure name comes to mind, Thomas Paine. Paine helped establish the meaning of democracy and the "united" in United States. His two monumental works, COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN, provided the philosophical and rhetorical building blocks that the founding fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, et al., would emulate with the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Many take for granted the origins of freedom and democracy in the United States, and as with many school history textbooks depict, Paine merely appears in a paragraph or two, and quickly disappears to historical oblivion.

Nevertheless, when one reads COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN: AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WRITINGS OF THOMAS PAINE, there will be no doubt how significant his philosophical and political writings transformed the political structure of the colonies. Although this may sound somewhat romanticized, Paine's words ignited the energy for the colonists to free themselves from the tyrannical-monarchical leadership of England's King George III. With all the talk of Paine being a founding father, he may also be considered the father of revolution, American Revolution and French Revolution, and human rights. Without the inspiration from his friend Edmund Burke, author of REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, Paine may not have been able to write the pamphlet Rights of Man. Indeed, his power of the written word translated to revolutionary action, and Jeffersonian ideology.

In clear and no nonsense language, Paine's perspective of the state of the colonies are elaborately told in COMMON SENSE. He adamantly shows his opposition toward hereditary rule and limitations imposed on individuals by George III and his vehement disdain towards aristocrats and kings. For RIGHTS OF MAN, he proposed possible solutions toward poverty, and created a blueprint towards achieving social and political institutions through his written abstracts. The other essential writings include the pamphlets, THE CRISIS, part one of THE AGE OF REASON, and selections of AGRARIAN JUSTICE. These writings gives readers an idea the political and religious atmosphere in which Paine lived, and how "breaking ties" with the so-called "motherland" was necessary towards forging a free nation.

COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN is indeed accessible with its pocketbook size form. After reading the book, readers may have a better understanding of what it takes to build a nation. Paine's words are lessons of history and humanity, and is definitely recommendable reading.

72 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paine's common sense, March 20, 2000

By 

benny - See all my reviews

This review is from: Common Sense, The Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine (Mass Market Paperback)

Thomas Paine's clear and concise writings make him one of the greatest political authors of his time. Basic thoughts of freedom and democracy, that seem so common place nowadays, were brought about because of Paines "radical" ideas. His books Common Sense and The Rights of Man were written not just for the political philosopher but also for the common man. Both the aforementioned books played a big part in the American and French Revolutions.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read for anyone seriously interested in American history, January 21, 2007

By 

Maria Folsom (East Glacier Park, Montana USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine (Signet Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is what we're founded on, what America is supposed to be, and the way we should conduct our political affairs. Paine should probably be required reading for every citizen, every student, anyone wondering what freedom really means. Besides being informative, it is incisive, sarcastic, humorous, and passionate. The English is old and dated, but that just adds to its delight. I read this in short segments and then thought about each chapter. It made me proud to be an American and sad to realize how much freedom we've lost since Paine's day.