Books : Utopia: Thomas More - Pope Benedict XVI

Utopia: Thomas More

View Shopping Cart or Checkout

Utopia: Thomas More

by: Thomas More

Amazon.com's Price: $6.99

as of 05/25/2012 05:22 EDT

Used Price: $4.95
Third Party New Price: $4.83

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Binding: Paperback
EAN: 9781450533003
ISBN: 1450533000
Label: CreateSpace
Languages: EnglishUnknownEnglishOriginal LanguageEnglishPublished
Manufacturer: CreateSpace
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 102
Publication Date: January 14, 2010
Publisher: CreateSpace
Studio: CreateSpace

Related Items:

Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Although there are other "Utopia" books written before Thomas More's, it is this book that made its title into a by-word in the English (and other) languages. "Utopia" was More's response to Plato's "Republic," in that it is a framework for a perfect society according to More's ideas of the time. Originally published in Latin, the first English version appeared in 1551, some 16 years after More's death. More's "Utopia," which is a brief book (100 pages), portrays a communal, democratic society. It is paradoxically unregulated and tightly regulated. More's citizens just want to do what is best for their society, and that covers a remarkably narrow range of possibilities. There are, of course, some who break the laws of the land, and More deals with them harshly. "Harsh" is a relative term, though, and his punishments were hardly harsh in a day when it was a hanging offense to steal a loaf of bread for your starving family. More's "Utopia" is also a strongly religious society. Religious tolerance is a matter of law, a novelty by the standards of More's day and the standard of his own behavior. 'Tolerance', however, meant tolerance of any monotheism that wasn't too animistic, and certainly didn't tolerate the unreligious. Thomas More's own life was less than a Utopia. He was executed by Henry VIII (one of his best friends) for, among other trespasses, refusing to uphold the king's divorce from Catherine of Arragon. Before that time More served Henry VIII in many capacities, including Speaker of the House of Commons, Master of Requests, Privy Councillor, and Lord Chancellor. More's strong integrity and resolute mind caught the attention of scholars, political and church leaders internationally; it was this same integrity that most likely was his undoing, refusing to assent to the King's divorce and severance of ties binding the English Church with the Roman overlordship of the Pope.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: none

Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display

Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Abraham, Adam, David, Isaac, Job, Joseph, Judith, Moses

Informative site dedictated to god, religion and ethics

Utopia: Thomas More

Utopia: Thomas More

Books by Joseph Ratzinger

Catholic Books

Books about Jesus

Books about Orthodoxy

Books about Mormonism

Books about Evangelism

Books about Protestantism

Books about Buddhism