A Modest Proposal [Paperback]

Jonathan Swift (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 4, 2008

A new selection of works by Britain's foremost prose satirist

Easing poverty in Ireland by eating the children of the poor was the satirical "solution" suggested by Jonathan Swift in his essay "A Modest Proposal" (1729). Here Swift unleashes the full power of his ironic armory and corrosive wit, striking his targets-the ruling class and avaricious landlords-with deadly precision. This masterly essay is accompanied by a generous selection of prose works, among them humorous pamphlets critiquing British rule in his native Ireland, articles and correspondence, a loving eulogy to his beloved "Stella," the daughter of a house servant whom he mentored, and pieces on such diverse subjects as the nature of broomsticks, the joys of punning, and comical rules for servants.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on standardized tests, Webster’s paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this edition of A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift was edited for students who are actively building their vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT®, SAT®, AP® (Advanced Placement®), GRE®, LSAT®, GMAT® or similar examinations.

PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), a poet, satirist, and clergyman, published many satirical works, as well as the novel Gulliver's Travels.
Carole Fabricant is a professor of English at the University of California, Riverside. She is the author of Swift's Landscape and has published a number of works on eighteenth-century writers. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Book Jungle (July 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605977276
• ISBN-13: 978-1605977270
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,668,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sharp Political Satire, December 30, 2009

By 

Bagels (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Modest Proposal (Kindle Edition)

Short and to the point, this is political satire at its best. While some background of Irish history is helpful, what I most like about Mr. Swift's arguments is that they can apply to any society where the group in power frets over what to do with the poor. I was in the middle of a book on the history of the Civil Rights movement in the American South when I read this, and what struck me was how Swift's satire lined up with the events a continent and centuries away from the original subject.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars English Satire at it's Finest, May 29, 2008

By 

William Hoffknecht "SC2NewSCast com" (Fernley, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Modest Proposal (Webster's Arabic Thesaurus Edition) (Paperback)

So I have not bought this copy, but I have a few different copies of A Modest Proposal and it is amazing.
Jonathan Swift is really the father of english satire in literature and, along with Gulliver's Travels, this is his magnum opus.
The basic idea is a proposal for economic reform by the export and eating of babies. Now the idea is rather gruesome, but Swift is not meant to be taken literally. The idea was so show how ridiculous people were being, fighting over religion and economics, by showing an idea that, truly could have worked for the time and place if people were okay with child murder. This is nothing short of one of the most hilarious arguments into the problems with governments and economic reform that was ever written.
I highly recommend this short piece for both humor, literature, and a look into the human social mind.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE IT!, January 18, 2011

By 

Jenn - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Modest Proposal (Kindle Edition)

I love this book! It's one of my favorites! However, if you're not used to the vocabulary in it, or your understanding of the turmoil that was going on in this period of history is weak, you might not get the full effect or humor. It's still a worth-while read. Go for it!