Customer Reviews (4)

The Hobo Philosopher
I think that every American should read all the works of Tom Paine. The phrasing and style are of today even though these works are over 200 years old. Read John Adams or even Thomas Jefferson and you can't help but to notice. It seems peculiar to me that I even hear conservatives today quoting Tom Paine. Tom Paine was no conservative. Read Agrarian Justice and you will have all the proof that you need. If that isn't enough try The Age of Reason on for size. If there were no Tom Paine I doubt very much that there would ever have been an American Revolution. Yet Tom takes no place in "monument" parks about this country. It is very sad.

We have it in our power to begin the world over again
This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class.John Keane's biography succinctly showed that Tom Paine (1737-1809) was the consummate revolutionary and a daring adventurer.Not only was he an important figure in the American Revolution, but he also traveled to France in 1791 to give that revolution a push.Paine traveled from England, just in time to stoke the flames of the revolution with his pamphlet Common Sense, in January 1776.To call Common Sense a sensation in the colonies is actually a bit of an understatement.It was an unparallel sensation and monumental work of Enlightenment rhetoric that quickly fanned the flames of rebellion throughout the colonies.In four months, over 120,000 copies were printed in the colonies--over 500,000 copies by years end.No other pamphlet printed in seventeenth century America came close to its success.Most importantly, Common Sense served to get the colonial patriots to drop their fear of open rebellion, and also emboldened those delegates who favored declaring independence from Britain.The delegates now had the confidence that a large segment of the colonists would support rebellion.Similar to the Declaration of Independence, the philosophical ideas in Common Sense are primarily from the English philosopher, John Locke (1632-1704).The most moving quote from the pamphlet became quite prophetic, when one considers the impact it ultimately had on the delegates in the congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and on the world."We have it in our power to begin the world over again."

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

Reviews by Nan Kilar and Bobby Miller
If you are a Fundamentalist, dust off your sandals and flee. At best this book will confuse you even more than you already are. Thomas Jefferson wrote that he merited the same censure visited upon the author of Rights of Man "for I profess the same principles."

Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were Deists. Another thing they had in common was their contempt for the so-called mystery of God, and the pious frauds that perpetuated it in order to obtain those things they desired. One who has any knowledge of God Almighty whatsoever would be outraged at the claim that He would need or want a fallen angel to battle; that He would use a snake, of all creatures, to entice a female to sin or use a whale as a motel. Those who advocate such things fall into one of two categories: sociopaths or herd animals. The buildings they erect supposedly to honor God serve everyone involved but God. While they are gathering places for those desiring wool and those in need of shearing, they serve a far greater purpose--they allow those without the desire to serve the true God, a God that cautions them before they can even get a lie out of their mouths--a mystery to worship.

As Paine explains, "Mystery answers all general purposes, miracle followed as an occasional auxiliary. The former served to bewilder the mind, the latter to puzzle the senses. The one was the lingo, the other the legerdemain."

About the Age of Reason
Paine who failed out of school at the age of 12 was not one of the best thinkers of all time. He joined the American Revoluntion immediately prior to its onset, and he met with the founding fathers and expressed the ideas of the American people of the time in Common Sense. Because of the fame he received from Common Sense he attempted to influence Christian nation he was living in. Although some of the other founding fathers were also deist, Paine's writtings in the Age of Reason (which contradicts his earlier statements)lead to his downfall. He attempted to take advantage of his limited fame and failed.

Some of Paine's arguments state that he can't accept the revelations of others because he cannot be assured of THEIR credibility. This comes from a man that failed out of school at 12 years old, failed at every job he attempted, and is only remembered for his statements in support of the American Revolution, which he only was apart of for a few years before it took place.

Much of Paine's arguments contain fallacies. His belief of an Age of Reason is not supported by logical or reasoning abilities. One example is the logical fallacy Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (after this therefore because of this). One of Paine's arguments is that Satan was punished by being sent to a pit; Paine then states that the Greek god Jupiter punished his opponent (giants) by confining one under a mountain (Paine claims resulted in volcanoes). Paine claims that BECAUSE the legend of Jupiter imprisoning his rival allegedly preceded the concept of Satan being imprisoned that the Christian belief in Satan must have been derived out of the Jupiter legend. Paine's assumption excludes the fact that earthy crimes committed throughout all ages have had punishment or prison associated with them, and the claim that the Jews would have had to study Greek mythology to create their own beliefs is a complete hypothesis on Paine's part.

Paine's statements are wishy-washy to say the least. He makes statements that the Bible is only hearsay and has no merit, and then at other times makes statements based on Biblical passages as though they were a matter of fact. He states that Jesus was a great teacher, and that he (Paine) is going to stick with the philosophy of Thomas (doubting Thomas) and demand to see proof of everything. If Paine's theories were true that the Bible was only hearsay, he would have no way of judging what Jesus taught as his (Paine's) beliefs do not allow for Jesus or Thomas to have even existed.

A very interesting thing to note about Paine's beliefs is that if you apply his beliefs to his own work then you would PROVE in Paine's view point that HE never existed. Paine states that you cannot believe that Paul wrote the books of the New Testament attributed to him therefore the Bible is not true. This same principle can be applied to Paine's work to challenge Paine's very existence. None of us personally met Paine or verified that his writings were his own; we only have writings that we are told were written by Thomas Paine by others, and that the writings contained Paine's beliefs. If you apply this type of reasoning to Paine's own work then you would have to conclude that Paine's work might be a complete fabrication, and that there is no proof that he even lived that does not come from hearsay or documentation of other men.

In LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THOMAS PAINE it says: "Deism teaches us that God is a God of truth and justice. Does the Bible teach the same doctrine? It does not."

This concept of God being a God of Justice and Truth is taken from the Revelations of the Bible and not from the Deist's use of Reason. By simply observing Creation to understand God as Deist claims you would not come to the understanding of God as a God of Justice and Truth. The world is not naturally just. If you base your religion on observing nature you are more likely to conclude that God is growing people in order to eat them, as that is what is observable in nature. Human's raise animals for food and are not concerned about providing the animals with truth and justice. These traits cannot be determined by observing the movements of the sun or the actions of man.

Observing the nature of man; to rob, rape, and kill would appear to be a natural state of man, as these actions have been recorded throughout all history and still exist today. If Deists hold to the belief of judging God by observing the creation without giving any thought to Biblical Revelation then there is not cause to label such actions as sin. Revealed religion is what labels these instincts as sin. Paine's view originates in his Quaker up bringing, which he then perverts and intermixes with his concept of Reason to make up his odd belief and questionable belief system.

Paine also rests some of his arguments on the new definition that he gives to the word Revelation. He redefines the word to meet his desires. The problem with this argument is that when debating the usage of a word relating to a topic thousands of years earlier it is necessary to use the definition of word at that time. By changing the definition of the word thousands of years later you do not invalidate how it has been used for centuries. This argument is also a logical fallacy called the Straw man in which Paine creates his own new definition of the word and argues against his own definition and not the actual topic.

Much of Paine's view on Reason comes from ethnocentric thinking that He (educated to the level of a 12 year old boy) has a superior ability to think than those who have lived in the past. Paine views himself as an enlightened thinker when in fact the opposite is true. He values the usage of Reason in gaining wisdom, but the Reason that Deism promotes is ignorance. It involves a lack of study or research, and is simply the concept of "Believe whatever you reason without considering anything other than your own opinions", and leaves man to his own devices. The problem is that the Bible documents the results of man being left to his own devices, and if REASON were really being applied then an enlightened thinker would STUDY and learn from the mistakes of those of the past to prevent themselves from falling into the same snares.

There is nothing enlightened about reasoning through ignorance. Much of Paine's problems with Christianity are not actually with the Word of God (as Paine claims they are), but are against man's hypocrisy and use of religion wrongfully. The Bible is also against these things, so Paine's attacks on the Bible are misdirected. Paine's argument that Christianity is wrong simple because other religions exist is foolish. One would not assume that all foods are poisonous simply because some of them are. If you do not want to eat poisonous food the answer does not lie in blindly making up your own recipes and biting into them hoping you wouldn't die, but lies in studying the good and bad recipes to determine where the poison is in order to use the correct recipe that will allow you to live; that is how REASON is to be used intelligently. If you are an enlightened thinker then you would analyze, evaluate, contemplate, understand, and reason to determine the truth. Making up your own philosophy based on what feels good to you is not enlightenment, and it is not even a new way of thinking; this error is commonly documented in the Bible.

Paine's arguments show only a superficial understanding of the Bible. If he were to put effort into studying the Bible and applying reason to it then his questions and objections to it would be answered. He would also be able to answer why some religions are false ones and why they are so. As it is Paine argues that all religion say they are right and since they all cannot be right Paine assumes that none of them can be right. This is another error in his reasoning. Certainly there are an infinite number of examples of people doing things wrong, but someone else being capable of doing it right.
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Book Description
Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was one of the most fascinating figures of the late 18th century. His public antagonist and personal friend John Adams believed that their times would come to be known as the "Age of Paine." He came to America in middle age and became a radical-democratic pamphleteer, effectively turning colonial rebellion into a national liberation movement. He later returned to Europe where he played a prominent role in both the French Revolution and the cause of English radicalism. Paine is best remembered for his books: the controversial The Rights of Man and his book on the American Revolution, Common Sense. Harvey J. Kaye, well-known for his studies on Paine and his period, traces the English revolutionary's life and details his political writings in accessible, highly readable narrative that also covers important events of early American history. Oxford Portraits is a new series of biographies for young adults. Written by prominent writers and historians, each of these titles is designed to supplement the core texts of the middle and high school curriculum with intriguing, thoroughly informative and insightful accounts of the lives and work of the notable men and women who helped shape history. Each book is illustrated with numerous graphics, photographs, and documents. A unique feature is the inclusion of sidebars containing primary source material, mostly excerpts from the subject's writings. A chronology, further reading list, and index rounds out every volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Worth every penny
Jack Fruchtman has done a fine job of giving us a total picture of Paine, warts and all.This is an intelligent, balanced and humane treatment of the life of a complex man who tends to be either demonized or deified by those who write about him.Highly recommended.

outstanding
One of the most enjoyable biographies I've ever read. This book is meticulously researched and well written. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the ideas and the spirit of one of the most important figures of the American Revolution.

The life of Freedom's Founding Father
When asked to name the Founding Fathers of America, most people will name Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin.Those who have read a book or two on the early America may also say Adams, Hamilton, and Madison.

I bet that very few people would name Thomas Paine.That is unfortunate and would be fixed quickly if this book were more widely read.

"Thomas Paine: Apostle of Freedom" devotes little time to Paine's early years, focusing mainly on his life after arriving in America a few years before Independence.

Before reading this fine biography, I had not given Thomas Paine much thought beyond being the author of "Common Sense".I now realize the many roles he played in both the American and French revolutions and in furthering the cause of freedom and liberty in an age of monarchy.

Also check out:

- "Tom Paine and Revolutionary America" by Eric Foner
- "46 Pages: Tom Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence" by Scott Liell
- "Tom Paine: A Political Life" by John Keane

Highly Recommended!

A good look at a revolutionary figure
In the hierarchy of founding fathers, Thomas Paine is not in the top echelon, but he is significant.His principal contribution was Common Sense, a pamphlet that spurred the independence movement in the early days of the Revolution.

One of the themes that seemed to run through Paine's life was a commitment to ideology that often had negative effects.While he was a man who backed his words with actions, he did it at a cost:he had few lifelong relationships, he was often broke and he even spent a year in jail, with the threat of execution constantly hanging over him.In the conflict between idealism and practicality, Paine favored the former.

Fruchtman's biography does a good job in describing this important historical figure.At times slow (I feel because there are points in Paine's life that aren't very interesting), it is overall a good, educational read.It makes me feel that if Paine had exercised a little bit more common sense in his own life, he might have been even a greater man.

Definitive book on Paine
The American Revolution's roots in the British which many people thought was 'betrayed' by parliament when it restored the monarchy, the roots of common British and American democratic ideals emerging from the dissenting religions and their notions of justice and equality (it's said that British socialism has more Methodism than Marx in it), the frustrations and ideals of British republicans who invested so much of their hope in the American colonies (not then 'United') shows that even in the l8th century (and presumably before and since) there is a community of men and women who, irrespective of nationality, place justice and liberty above all other human aspirations.What we learn from this book was that Tom Paine wasn't just a great British radical, a great founding father of the American Revolution, an active member of the revolutionary French Tribunal -- he was a critic of all unearned or abused authority wherever he saw it -- from George III to George Washington -- and that he foresaw a world in which every soul enjoyed the same rights and liberties.It was his internationalism, his understanding of the drawbacks as well as the virtues of populist democracy, that made him so relevant to modern readers.You can be sure that Tom Paine would have been at the Seattle demonstrations and would have no doubt been considerably more eloquent in his criticisms of international big business than anyone alive today! He speaks to us as clearly and as authoritatively as he spoke to his first readers -- who made his work best-sellers in America, Britain and France -- and this is the first book I have read which does its great subject the justice he deserves.He shouldn't just have a statue in Washington -- he should have one in London and Paris.It is his ideas of common liberty and justice which unite people around the world, perhaps even more now than in his own day.Read this book and you will understand how valuable democracy is and how hard it was to win, how hard it remains to keep it vital and uncorrupted.Everyone interested in modern politics should read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
Paine was the impassioned democratic voice of the Age of Revolution, and this volume brings together his best-known works--"Common Sense," "The American Crisis," "Rights of Man," "The Age of Reason," along with a selection of letters, articles and pamphlets that emphasizes Paine's American years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Beautiful collection of Paine's writings
This is my go-to book whenever I don't know what I want to read next.The only problem with this collection is that it's incomplete, but that's nothing new.I have yet to find a book that has everything Paine ever wrote.The majority of his writings are included, however, so if you're looking for a good Thomas Paine collection, you can't go wrong with this book.As with the other Library of America books I've seen, the end notes are extensive and the binding is top notch.

Great Volume
I am always impressed with the quality of the "Library of America" volumes.....Quality production,quality materials,quality content.....

The nearly complete Thomas Paine
I believe this is the most complete collection of Paine's writing out there and it is excellent. First of all the production values of the book itself are outstanding. In the first section of the book are Paine's "American writings" including Common Sense and all of the American Crisis publications. These give first of all a historical commentary on the progress or lack of progress of the American Revolution. It also gives a brilliant summary of the intellectual inspiration for the revolution. Finally it shows that the art of political spin doctoring or propaganda was alive and well during that era. The last two sections include " The Rights of Man" and "The Age of Reason". The Rights of Man is of course Paine's defense of the French Revolution but it is also a surprisingly modern statement of the role of government in providing for the poor, the elderly, and children. The "Age of Reason" is Paine's act of political suicide in his attack on the bible. You can decide for yourself what you think of his arguments but the people at the turn of the 18th century certainly were not ready to hear from Paine on this subject. I found the book thought provoking from start to finish and would highly recomment it.

What a useful collection.
It's good to have all Paine's material in one handy volume.Plenty to read and think about.It's a pity he's not better known in the USA, considering his significance in the existence of the country.

We have it in our power to begin the world over again
This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class.John Keane's biography succinctly showed that Tom Paine (1737-1809) was the consummate revolutionary and a daring adventurer.Not only was he an important figure in the American Revolution, but he also traveled to France in 1791 to give that revolution a push.Paine traveled from England, just in time to stoke the flames of the revolution with his pamphlet Common Sense, in January 1776.To call Common Sense a sensation in the colonies is actually a bit of an understatement.It was an unparallel sensation and monumental work of Enlightenment rhetoric that quickly fanned the flames of rebellion throughout the colonies.In four months, over 120,000 copies were printed in the colonies--over 500,000 copies by years end.No other pamphlet printed in seventeenth century America came close to its success.Most importantly, Common Sense served to get the colonial patriots to drop their fear of open rebellion, and also emboldened those delegates who favored declaring independence from Britain.The delegates now had the confidence that a large segment of the colonists would support rebellion.Similar to the Declaration of Independence, the philosophical ideas in Common Sense are primarily from the English philosopher, John Locke (1632-1704).The most moving quote from the pamphlet became quite prophetic, when one considers the impact it ultimately had on the delegates in the congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and on the world."We have it in our power to begin the world over again."

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.
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Book Description
Thomas Paine, in writing Common Sense, gave voice to the American cause for liberty and inspired an entire nation. ... Read more

Book Description
Here's a dramatic look at a pivotal moment in our country's formation, a scholar's meticulous recreation of the turbulent years leading up to the Revolutionary War, retold with excitement and new insight, and available for the first time in paperback. Selling more than 100,000 copies in its first three months of publication, 46 Pages has received enthusiastic praise from David McCullough, Joseph J. Ellis, and other historians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Opened my eyes
46 Pages tells the story of Thomas Paine, his experiences in England, how he came to the colonies and the circumstances that led him to write Common Sense. Paine's life in England and even in America are given only a cursory look, as the book is more about the political and societal climate of the time and how it led him to begin writing against the crown. Before Common Sense, few colonists were thinking of independence. They wanted certain issues resolved, but still wanted to remain under the rule of King George. Paine laid everything on the line in Common Sense, arguing that independence was the only answer if they were going to thrive in America. After the pamphlet was published it spread like wildfire and people began to quickly change their minds about the future. Paine had written Common Sense in a manor that anyone could understand, be they educated or uneducated. He took his case to the people that mattered; the citizens who had built the colonies from the ground up.

The book ends with Common Sense itself. I had never read it before and was amazed at the clarity and persuasiveness of Paine's arguments. If I felt that way now in 2007, imagine how the people felt in 1776.

A great look at an overlooked part of American history
In this book Scott Liell examines the impact that Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" had on American sentiment and the move toward independence.Liell argues, and does so quite persuasively, that Common Sense is what finally tipped the balance in favor of those who wanted to break from Britain, and that the work was largely responsible for the enormous shift in sentiment that occurred between the Continental Congress's Olive Branch petition in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Common Sense was published in January, 1776, and met with immediate and unparalleled success.Liell's argument is that, before Common Sense, very few average people had a reason to want Independence, and that the pamphlet almost instantaneously gave them reason to want to break from Britain.Paine, he says, was bold enough to say things that even the ardent independents like John Adams were too timid to say, and that this helped turn the tide toward the ultimate decision to sever ties with the motherland.

Liell makes a good case.In all our focus on men like Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin, we often overlook the impact Paine and his writing had on the revolutionary cause.This is a very short book and a quick read, but it is very much worth the effort.The work is part biography, part criticism of the pamphlet, and flows along very nicely.While it is a quick read Liell manages to make a powerful argument, one that is certainly worth looking at for anyone interested in the period.

Short and to the point
This exposition places Common Sense firmly in context, showing how it came about and how it in turn quickly brought about the Declaration of Independence.

Altered My View of American History
A real page turner...I had to read the book in one sitting.
Before I purchased "46 Pages",Thomas Jefferson represented, to me, the voice of American independence.After reading this book, I see that I am wrong. Thomas Jefferson and George Washington would never have been able to persuade the "average colonial American" to break free from England.That required a man who could talk in the language of the street corner radical, who could burst the myth of American's attachment to the crown. That required Thomas Paine.Buy this book and discovery why so.

Excellent book!!!
Thomas Paine was the most important founding father and this book does a fantastic job of proving this fact!!What a great man that was centuries ahead of his time!We need Paine back to fix this current corrupt Government we now suffer with!Hard to imagine Jan 10, 2006 was the 230th anniversary of the publication of Common Sense! ... Read more

Book Description
In her own time and in ours, Hannah More (1745-1833) has been seen as a benefactress of the poor, writing and working selflessly to their benefit. Mona Scheuermann argues, however, that More's agenda was not simply to help the poor but to control them, for the upper classes in late eighteenth-century England were terrified that the poor would rise in revolt against Church and King.

As much social history as literary study, In Praise of Poverty shows that More's writing to the poor specifically is intended to counter the perceived rabble rousing of Thomas Paine and other radicals active in the 1790s. In fact, her Village Politics was written by request of the Bishop of London as a direct response to Paine's Rights of Man. The much larger project of the Cheap Repository Tracts followed, and More was still writing in this vein two decades later.

Mona Scheuermann effectively, and perhaps controversially, places More in the context of her period's debate about the poor, proving More to be not a defender of the poor but of the conservative upper-class values she so wholeheartedly espoused. ... Read more

Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)

The authorities in power in England during Thomas Paine’s lifetime saw him as an agent provocateur who used his seditious eloquence to support the emancipation of slaves and women, the demands of working people, and the rebels of the French and American Revolutions. History, on the other hand, has come to regard him as the figure who gave political cogency to the liberating ideas of the Enlightenment. His great pamphlets, Rights of Man and Common Sense, are now recognized for what they are–classic arguments in defense of the individual’s right to assert his or her freedom in the face of tyranny. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Still relevant, still excellent
Let us, for a moment, forget the historical and literary importance of Right of Man and Common Sense.What if this book had just been published today?Would it still be worth reading?The answer is an unequival yes.

Althought many parts of this deal with specific issues of Paine's time (especially Rights of Man), even after two centuries, the writings of Thomas Paine are able to stoke the fires of liberty in the soul of the reader with their passion, their fierce logic and their unexpected humor.

Rights of Man comprises two long volumes written by Paine in response to English criticism of the French revolution.Although much that he says is ironic in light of events that occured after he penned these volumes, you can see the hope that the Revolution produced.He breaks government down to basic principles, pointing out the needs that government fulfills and the method by which they should be constructed.It is thought-provoking, even in the modern day and will make you look on politics of our own time with a new light.Rights of Man does drag a bit when Paine begins repeating himself, but it remains interesting and though-provoking.

But Common Sense is the real treat.The pamplet that set a continent on fire is -- this was a surprise -- a thrill to read.I found myself actually laughing at Paine's sarcasm and satire -- his way of taking monarchy and absolutism and exposing them for the ridiculuous constructions that they are.

Any student of history should read these volumes for their portrayal of late 18th century geopolitics.But you will find them to be unexpectedly entertaining.

A must for those who want to understand American History
Anyone who wishes to understand American History, namely the Revolution, needs to read this book. These essays were crutial in the development of the revolutionary movement in America. Thomas Paine is a keynote figure in this time period and helped the American cause. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (8)

A photograph can be very revealing.
IN MY OPINION........

I consider the man.In this instance, a man who has apparently chosen to devote his life to disproving the existence of God.What drives someone to do this?His childhood would undoubtably make for a fascinating novel.What happened to this "intellectual" at a young age that made him so intent upon convincing himself and others that creation has no creator?I look at his photograph on the cover of this novel and I am not surprised by what I see, or in this case, don't see.Look at his eyes.There is nothing there.There is nothing behind them.He is an empty vessel. His expression is one of sadness and hopelessness.Intellectuals by their very nature feel compelled to deny the existence of anything or anyone who might be their intellectual superior.Their vast egos place them at the top of the food chain, leaving no room for God.It takes a far greater leap of faith to believe that we sprung from nothing than it does to believe that we were created.And yet that is precisely what the atheist religion requires of its' followers.The atheist faith was founded upon the intellectual's driving need to believe that their intellect is of their own making -- self-generated and self-sustaining.To think otherwise is to entertain the unwelcome idea that their intellect is God-given.Most intellectuals find this concept totally unacceptable and an insult to their self-made intellect.Atheism, therefore, is the religion of intellectuals -- created by intellectuals, for intellectuals, who are desperate to maintain the illusion that their intellects are entirely of their own making, and that they owe nothing to God since their intellect has conveniently and necessarily demonstrated through faith the belief that there is no God.

Hitchens gives a clear view to Paine's words.
Reading the Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Age of Reason can be diffuclt for a modern day American due to the "old" english. I really suggest reading Paine's work who suggest clear notions to that of Paine's work.

Clear and concise view of Paine
Hitchens is best known now for the "God" book, but those who find him disagreeable on that count shouldn't necessarily pass up this gem if they are interested in America's revolutionary beginnings.

Thomas Paine was probably the primary rabble-rouser for the American Revolutionary War. He was an unlikely pamphleteer, having just come to the colonies from an undistinguished life in England.

In Common Sense he lambasted the idea of royal privilege (let alone rule) and proclaimed The Law Is King! That statement alone shows his relevance for today, as debate over the proper extent of executive power rages.

Paine got a raw deal from history, probably because he was a deist and explicitly rejected (in The Age of Reason) formal religion of any kind.

The best reason to read this book is if you want to understand Paine's role in the American Revolution without picking up a textbook-size tome. You also get a quickly drawn but insightful portrait of the man generally.

Important reading for today's world
Christopher Hitchens brings an important person and his contribution to freedoms that most of us in the Western World take for granted, into sharper focus.

Although I would have liked Paine's original documents inserted somewhere into this small book, just to help with the scene setting, this is a minor quibble about a very useful book.

Hitchens seldom disappoints
...and he doesn't here. Aside from the erudition which always seems to flow from ol' Chris's pen, his subject in this instance is something of an 18th-century soul mate. Maybe this little examination of humanist Paine will go some ways toward raising the general awareness of the man and of his works-- long overdue, like some bit of acknowledgement in D.C. ... Read more

Book Description
This compilation of over 1,000 quotations on 450 topics draws exclusively from the genius of Tom Paine. Accompanied by an insightful and concise biography, this totally unique volume broadens and deepens our understanding and appreciation of this quintessential yet enigmatic revolutionary, whose vision of a humane and democratic society shaped a philosophy for his time that still speaks to us today. ... Read more