Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Published by MobileReference and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

116 used & new from $0.01

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Common Sense (Dover Thrift Editions)
 
 
Start reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Published by MobileReference on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

Common Sense (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

~ (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


27 new from $0.44 89 used from $0.01

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition, October 21, 2008 $0.99 -- --
  Hardcover, June 30, 2002 $9.95 $4.79 $4.79
  Paperback, December 31, 2004 $4.95 $3.10 $2.90
  Paperback, April 22, 1997 -- $0.44 $0.01
  Mass Market Paperback, February 2, 2004 $3.95 $1.08 $0.74
  Unknown Binding, December 31, 1994 -- $0.49 $0.39

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Rights of Man (Dover Thrift Editions)

Rights of Man (Dover Thrift Editions)

by Thomas Paine
4.1 out of 5 stars (11)  $3.00
Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine

Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine

by Glenn Beck
The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)

The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)

by James Madison
4.6 out of 5 stars (54)  $7.95
The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History 1775-1865 (Dover Thrift Editions)

The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History 1775-1865 (Dover Thrift Editions)

by John Grafton
4.0 out of 5 stars (13)  $2.00
The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World

The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World

by W. Cleon Skousen
4.6 out of 5 stars (337)  $11.66
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

?No writer has exceeded Paine in ease and familiarity of style; in perspicuity of expression, happiness of elucidation, and in simple unassuming language.? ?Thomas Jefferson


From the Trade Paperback edition. -- Review --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.


Review

“No writer has exceeded Paine in ease and familiarity of style; in perspicuity of expression, happiness of elucidation, and in simple unassuming language.” —Thomas Jefferson


From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 64 pages
  • Publisher: Dover Publications (April 22, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0486296024
  • ISBN-13: 978-0486296029
  • Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #403,964 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Paine
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Thomas Paine Page

Look Inside This Book
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

62 Reviews
5 star:
 (45)
4 star:
 (12)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (62 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The logic of Common Sense, August 16, 2000
By Theresa Vawter (Boise, ID USA) - See all my reviews
"Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices." This is just a sample of the wisdom of Thomas Paine in Common Sense. His vivid words and sound arguements make it clear why this pamphlet helped to ignite the revolution. He starts by discussing the general design of government and talking briefly about the English Constitution. The second chapter deals with how silly the whole concept of heredity succession is and how the monarchy has failed. It's reminiscent of Sir Thomas More's Utopia in that respect. Chapter three discusses America at the current time and chapter four is about America's ability to fight Britain at the time. The appendix refutes arguements in the king's speech, which reached America the day Common Sense came out. After reading this important piece of American literature I was ready to go out and fight the British. Thomas Paine's words still have that effect 224 years later.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The First Ever American Best-seller, May 15, 2006
This review is from: Common Sense (Paperback)
Over two hundred years after its initial publication, Thomas Paine's `Common Sense' is one of the most influential pamphlets ever written in the English language. Along with Jefferson's Declaration of Independence (1776), Harriet Beecher Stowe's `Uncle Tom's Cabin' (1851-1852), and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (1863), Paine's `Common Sense' can claim to be one of the first works to have instantly captured and then so permanently held the national imagination. `Common Sense', fiercely surpassed colonial newspaper circulations of the time by reaching a record breaking figure of 120,000 - 150,000 copies solely in its first year eventually culminating in a fifth of the adult American population to have either read Common Sense or to have had it read to them during the course of the Revolution. Paine can profess to have had the first ever American best-seller.

`Common Sense' addresses a people that were divided over the question of independence and in it Paine strongly attacks the virtue of a connection with England and presents an emphatic argument for immediate separation. Paine incorporated both a secular and religious argument for independence, thus freeing himself of any erroneous description that he was a Lockean liberal in the Hartzian mold and that Common Sense was simply a bourgeois manifesto. Paine was very much an original thinker among the Enlightenment philosophers and his unparalleled prescription for a new form of government, a united American Republic, and the manner in which it should be conducted were central to the American political vision that emerged during and immediately after the revolution.

[Part of the above review is taken from; "Common Sense?" by Alexander Rayden. Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved]
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars more than history, September 16, 1999
By A Customer
I read the other reviews and while I agree with them, I must add that this book is more than history. I remember reading Paine's critique of the English government being "so exceedingly complex" that when a problem developed, politicians would fight for years deciding whose fault it was. Finally, when they would try to solve the problem, everyone had a different solution. I thought I was reading an editorial from USNews. I was amazed that many problems that incited the colonies to revolt are now present in our new government. Read this as more than great history. Read it as political science, and public commentary.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars It took a lot of brains, and a lot of metaphorical body parts representing courage to publish this
This book is a classic for a reason; the man behind it is virulent in his message, and yet keeps it focused and steady on his purpose. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andariel Halo

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless wisdom
This classic offers timeless wisdom and should be required reading by all politicians from local to national office.
Published 2 months ago by Douglas E. Williams

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Little Piece of History
This is a great little book. It has a dark brown hard cover with a glossy finish to it. Title, Author and border are gold embossed. Read more
Published 3 months ago by G. M. Rinderle

1.0 out of 5 stars Political hack writes political garbage
Glenn Beck, one of the Rupert Murdoch shock jocks, who lacks a college degree and any serious journalistic or political credentials, pretends to write a bi-partisan or libertarian... Read more
Published 3 months ago by H. Stevens

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Those Who Love America
Americans have become complacent and in the process lost much of their common sense. Thomas Paine does a masterful job of laying out the necessity for creating a basic governing... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dumb_Hillbilly

5.0 out of 5 stars Law is king
As a political pamphlet with influence, Common Sense is a rival to the Communist Manifesto, as far as sheer power of impact is concerned. Read more
Published 5 months ago by H. Schneider

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should reqad this
If we are to be the kind of American citizens that our country first foresaw, we should read this and several other publications.... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Jill Rhodes

4.0 out of 5 stars Great little book.
This is a great little book. This is a must-read for anyone interested in politics.
Published 6 months ago by Troy C. Tuckett

5.0 out of 5 stars Paine is Prevalent Today
This is a book every American should read. It talks about the imapct of big government taking over and its influence.
Published 6 months ago by John P. Deyoung

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for our day
THis book sparked an American Revolution in ideas as well as government. While in later life he declared himself to be a Deist(often mistook to be A-Theist), he doesn't use any... Read more
Published 9 months ago by A customer

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Any idea when Kindle DX will start shipping? 0 May 2009
See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.