Utopia

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"First published in 1516, Thomas More's Utopia is one of the most important works of European humanism. Through the voice of the mysterious traveler Raphael Hythloday, More describes a pagan, communist city-state governed by reason. Addressing such issues as religious pluralism, women's rights, state-sponsored education, colonialism, and justified warfare, Utopia seems remarkably contemporary nearly five centuries after it was written, and it remains a foundational text in philosophy and political theory." "Preeminent More scholar Clarence H. Miller does justice to the full range of More's rhetoric in this new translation. Professor Miller includes a helpful introduction that outlines some of the important problems and issues that Utopia raises, and also provides informative commentary to assist the reader throughout this challenging and rewarding exploration of the meaning of political community."--BOOK JACKET.

SYNOPSIS

Wootton's new translation brings out the liveliness of More's work and offers an accurate and reliable version of a masterpiece of social theory. His edition is further distinguished by the inclusion of a translation of Erasmus's "The Sileni of Alcibiades," a work very close in sentiment to Utopia, and one immensely influential in the sixteenth century. This attractive combination suits the edition especially well for use in Renaissance and Reformation courses as well as for Western Civilization survey courses. Wootton's Introduction simultaneously provides a remarkably useful guide to anyone's first reading of More's mysterious work and advances an original argument on the origins and purposes of Utopia which no one interested in sixteenth-century social theory will want to miss.

David Wootton is Professor of History, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London.

FROM THE CRITICS

Daniel Kinney

What Clarence Miller attempts :and accomplishes :here is a nuanced and textured rendition in English that says neither less nor more than the Latin itself.

Louis Martz

Clarence Miller has made a lively and accurate translation which preserves the subtlety and wit of More￯﾿ﾽs own Latin. Fluent and highly readable, this new version should be welcomed by all admirers of the Utopia.

Booknews

Based on the first English translation of the influential 1516 book produced forty years after original Latin publication. Robynson's version is here corrected and revised, with modern spelling and extensive annotation. The introduction describes More's thought and places him and his work within the political, economic, and religious contexts of 16th-century England. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Louis Martz