messyal's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very thought provoking read. The essays discussed how we do often read about and think about dystopians, but very rarely do we think about utopia. I can strongly relate to this sentiment. This book is not an answer to our world dilemmas by any means, but it does allow one to ponder how we may achieve a more just society. It intrigues thought more than it sets out to form solutions. I think it was critical to read this with the essays as it helped to ground the work started by Thomas Moore. I gave this read a 4/5 as it was well written and thought out, but I did find some parts to be repetitive.
jen1701's review against another edition
4.0
There's a reason that More is ranked alongside the fathers of Communism. Although, I don't think that a perfect society would have slavery.
ella_holden_'s review against another edition
- p.viii ‘the only time i ever get to myself is what i steal from sleep’
- p.19 ‘isn’t this conception of absolute justice absolutely unjust?’
- p.29 ‘a happy state of society will never be achieved until philosophers are kings’
- p.39 ‘you wouldn’t abandon ship in a storm just because you couldn’t control the winds’. ‘what you can’t put right you must try to make as little wrong as possible’
- p.41 ‘he sees everyone else rushing into the street and getting soaked in the pouring rain. He knows if he went out too, he’d merely get equally wet. So he just stays indoors himself, and, as he can’t do anything about other people’s stupidity, comforts himself with the thought: ‘Well, i’m all right, anyway.’
- p.74 ‘the Utopians fail to understand why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at’. ‘Nor can they understand why a totally useless substance like gold should now, all over the world, be considered far more important than human beings, who gave it such value as it has’
- p.79 ‘Utopians therefore regard the enjoyment of life as the natural object of all human efforts’
- p.84 ‘there are also pleasures which satisfy no organic need, and relieve no previous discomfort. They merely act, in a mysterious but quite unmistakeable way, directly on our senses, and monopolise their reactions. Such is the pleasure of music.’
- p.93 ‘in fact you’re really leading a sort of posthumous existence, so why go on feeding germs?’
- p.102 ‘human beings are far more effectively united by kindness than by contracts, by feelings than by words’
- p.114 ‘there is a single divine power…diffused throughout this universe of ours, not as a physical substance, but as an active force. This power they call ‘The Parent’’
- p.117 ‘God made different people believe different things, because he wanted to be worshipped in many different ways’
- p.121 ‘the more they make slaves of themselves, the more everybody respects them’
- p.19 ‘isn’t this conception of absolute justice absolutely unjust?’
- p.29 ‘a happy state of society will never be achieved until philosophers are kings’
- p.39 ‘you wouldn’t abandon ship in a storm just because you couldn’t control the winds’. ‘what you can’t put right you must try to make as little wrong as possible’
- p.41 ‘he sees everyone else rushing into the street and getting soaked in the pouring rain. He knows if he went out too, he’d merely get equally wet. So he just stays indoors himself, and, as he can’t do anything about other people’s stupidity, comforts himself with the thought: ‘Well, i’m all right, anyway.’
- p.74 ‘the Utopians fail to understand why anyone should be so fascinated by the dull gleam of a tiny bit of stone, when he has all the stars in the sky to look at’. ‘Nor can they understand why a totally useless substance like gold should now, all over the world, be considered far more important than human beings, who gave it such value as it has’
- p.79 ‘Utopians therefore regard the enjoyment of life as the natural object of all human efforts’
- p.84 ‘there are also pleasures which satisfy no organic need, and relieve no previous discomfort. They merely act, in a mysterious but quite unmistakeable way, directly on our senses, and monopolise their reactions. Such is the pleasure of music.’
- p.93 ‘in fact you’re really leading a sort of posthumous existence, so why go on feeding germs?’
- p.102 ‘human beings are far more effectively united by kindness than by contracts, by feelings than by words’
- p.114 ‘there is a single divine power…diffused throughout this universe of ours, not as a physical substance, but as an active force. This power they call ‘The Parent’’
- p.117 ‘God made different people believe different things, because he wanted to be worshipped in many different ways’
- p.121 ‘the more they make slaves of themselves, the more everybody respects them’
rutem's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
edie_b's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kindlereads's review against another edition
4.0
This the rest of this book is really, really forward thinking. Divorce, marriage, age of marriage, male and female roles, jobs, working hours, importance of education, war. This is pretty amazing considering it was published in 1516.
elli_yu's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
0.75
sarahlobster's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
anna_pardo's review against another edition
4.0
Em flipa que enlloc de sonar carrincló, un llibre de fa més de 500 anys plantegi temes de plena actualitat. Es nota el pas dels anys en alguns aspectes, com el pes de la religió i el paper de la dona, però en d'altres és absolutament modern i atrevit en els seus plantejaments. M'ha encantat!
tquinton's review against another edition
4.0
was it problematic? yes
did i enjoy it? also yes
ask no questions
did i enjoy it? also yes
ask no questions