Thomas Paine : Collected Writings : Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters (Library of America) (Hardcover)

by Thomas Paine (Author), Eric Foner (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Paine is one of those who proved the pen is mightier than the sword. Included here are several of the writings that forged the spirit of our nation, including Common Sense, The Crisis, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason, and Other Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters. Note that two new Paine biographies have been recently published (LJ 11/15/94 and LJ 1/95).
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
All the germinal works of the forgotten founding Father. -- Christopher Hitchens

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 906 pages
• Publisher: Library of America; First Printing edition (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883011035
• ISBN-13: 978-1883011031
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,959 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent in every way, May 26, 2003

By	Michael Green "mrclay2000" (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book collects together Paine's Common Sense (which was instrumental in collecting and gathering America's attention to the benefits of strict independence from Great Britain); his letters or series entitled "the American Crisis," which galvanizes his previous topics; gives a brief account of his engineering work for arches bridges; provides another span of letters on his involvement in the French Revolution, and finishes with his Age of Reason, in which he examines and debunks the Bible. Though his reasoning and conclusions may alarm some and even offend others, his thinking and writing is lucid and cogent, and for reflective minds will provide much food for thought. Accused of sophistry and impudence by some of his contemporaries, his reasoning is normally sound and simple, as he inquires into the root of things, and only seldom does he make debating points fit only for the playground. A sensible and likable man, Paine's writing should engage any American for its historical sense, any lover or researcher interested in human rights and the hope of removing human misery, and any person interested in reading the entertaining but vital arguments of a man whose love of liberty and order forced him late in life to become one of America's most influential revolutionary and socially-minded voices.

84 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These are the times that try men's souls!, July 12, 2000

By	Nicholas Provenzo (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thomas Paine's greatness lied in his ability to take the abstract ideas of the American Revolution and make them graspable by all of his time, while infusing them with the moral passion that they truly deserved. Paine is one of the great masters of ideas taken into action.

His immortal opening of the "American Crisis" was like new fuel to a dying flame. "These are the times that try men's souls," he wrote, and his arguments for continuing the revolution reminded the patriots of the meaning of their fight. And Paine could not have been timelier-his words came at a time when the success of the revolution seemed much in doubt.

Perhaps more than any man, he breathed new life into the patriots though his keen analysis and moral passion. 225 years later, he still gives life to the idea of America, even as our freedoms come under increased threat.

Thomas Paine is required reading for any student of America who wishes to understand the ideas from which America was made real.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paine as "Wisdom Literature", October 4, 2001

By	Silverwing - See all my reviews

A "must have" for any legitimate personal "library".

Paine's thoughts are important reading for every person who would call himself educated and versed in the history of ideas about how society should organize -- particularly "Common Sense" and "The Age of Reason". I myself would have included him in Stephen Covey's "Wisdom Literature" ("First Things First"). Carl Sagan cites him ("The Demon Haunted World") in support of his own reflections on "the God hypothesis".

COMMON SENSE speaks to form and purpose of government and was the pivotal Revolutionary pamphlet in which Paine disected and debunked the legitimacy of monarchy, giving voice to the growing feelings in the Colonies that being ruled by the King of England had become obsolete. Paine's articulation served to "tune" the chorused voices of the Colonies, which before his writing, were loud but out of tune. (War was underway, but the Colonies not well organized in a joint defense.) COMMON SENSE even has a refreshed relevance in the aftermath of the 9/11/01 tragedies in New York, as we re-examine some of our institutions.

THE AGE OF REASON will be disagreeable reading to devout followers of any organized religion -- particularly Christians -- as it is Paine's book-by-book disection and denunciation of the Bible (and, by extension, the "scriptures" of all other religions) as a collection of fables, nurtured through the ages for corrupt purposes of church leaders (starting hundreds of years BC). But, almost by definition, an educated person MUST acknowledge disagreeable ideas and THEN make disposition of them Once in a while "disagreement" is even persuaded to new thinking, n'est ce pas?.

This edition is a particularly excellent resource for these pieces and Paine's other writings. It is scrupulously based on the best discoverable versions, with meticulous notes documenting the sources.

The physical quality of the printing and binding is premium in every aspect, and will last for generations. Truly a "library" quality volume, far superior to the typical "best seller" construction.