Sir Thomas More (1477 - 1535) remains one of the most enigmatic thinkers in history, due to the enduring mysteries surrounding his best-known work, Utopia.
In his socio-political work, More writes of a traveller's account of a newly discovered island in which the inhabitants share a common culture and way of life. As the traveller describes the harmony, equality, and prosperity of the island, a dramatic contrast is drawn between his imagined community and the very real poverty, crime and political corruption of 16th century Europe.
In Utopia, More explores topics such as crime, punishment, education, multi-religion societies, divorce, euthanasia and women's rights, making the book as relevant today as it was 500 years ago.
Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics Series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this attractive, high-quality edition also features an introduction from writer, economist and historian, Niall Kishtainy.
SIR THOMAS MORE was a rising intellectual star of Renaissance Europe. His brilliance made him an advisor and friend of King Henry VIII. More's Utopia contrasts the squalor and brutal politics of the England of his time with a picture of a peaceful and prosperous society.
NIALL KISHTAINY is a writer with interests in economics and in the history of ideas. He holds a PhD in economics from the University of Warwick and has taught economic history at the London School of Economics. His most recent book, A Little History of Economics, was published by Yale University Press in 2017.
TOM BUTLER-BOWDEN is Series Editor of the Capstone Classics series, and has provided introductions for Plato's Republic, Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, Machiavelli's The Prince, Florence Scovel Shinn's The Game of Life and How to Play It, and Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he is also the author of 50 Economics Classics (2017) and 50 Politics Classics (2015).
www.butler-bowdon.com
An Introduction by Niall Kishtainy viii
About Niall Kishtainy xxix
UTOPIA xxix
Letter: Thomas More to Peter Giles 1
Letter: Peter Giles to Jerome de Busleyden 11
Letter: Thomas More to Peter Giles 19
“Utopia” 25
Book One 31
Book Two 85
Other versions by this Author
