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Summary: Not a Review, but take a look at the "author" review,
Review: as the author seemed to mispell his own name. Hmm.....perhaps Amazon.com shouldn't allow people to give author reviews...also, it is interesting that the review date is given as April 17, 1999, since Thomas More died in 1535. Just another fine example of the precious freedom of speech, utilized well.
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Summary: No where leads...somewhere
Review: First, I would be remiss by not saying the main characters inUtopia do not reflect a mirror image of our author. However, there isa deep kinship. Mr. More was a man of great morals and valour. Sad to say that a gentleman such as he, is extinct in our time. I retract, near extinction. His character to me sets apart his writing from being just a tale that he heard and shared. Even to the point of death he stood for what he believed. In the midst of a barbaric society. Imagine keeping his work silent for 400 years. This furthermore convinces me that our dear Mr. More was living among a government which he was a part, that revered and feared him at the same time. Utopia, though shared with More was told in such an eloquent manner. No more then that, it was told as a cry or plea for everyone to listen. How could he exercise fiction in his world. I do not believe he did. In fact I believe he was telling a true story about a real place with conviction. Irony sets in with the verbage and the use of metaphor's that would persuade your way of thinking in two directions at once. First to think perfection could exist somewhere. Second that it was all a fantasy which only existed to bury it's meaning. Only note that no where is a passive aggressive term. I for one believe that the wisdom it took to carry off such a world as Utopia would have men of great wisdom and leadership. They thought of every possible incident hardship and course of action for the sake of control and protecting their world. They labeled their land Utopia. Knowing it meant nowhere. Who would want to go no where. Precisely my point and they in return would not want you there either. I believe this novel will shake your head and bring many questions to mind. I for one ask, have we as a society made any head way to a world such as this? Would we want to. Do we have a better society then they? A paragigm approach is the authors request. Just think if you would about the words that deliver such a pure picture of what he had hoped his beloved country would adopt. He was a man wanting better just like we do. He sought the way heard the idea and knew it was working somewhere. Enjoyable educational and haunting. I think that the sole purpose for his book was to awaken the ones still sleeping. Or speak to the ones that would hear. Mr. More I believe had the hope that maybe one at last would be motivated to make the trip or set the course for a better society. One that would end corruption and abuse and set wrongs to right in a humane fashion. One that would reward the upright and banish the docket of wrong. It is worthy to be a selection in your library from now on. END
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: I am 12. I first saw this book on a movie many of you know called EVER AFTER. After seeing the movie I became greatly interested in the book. Once I found that it was written in 1516 i thought I woundn't understand it, but after reading a few pages I found that to not be so. It is brilliantly translated by Paul Tuner and is a wonderufl book everyone should read.
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Summary: interesting
Review: I had to read this book for school. At the time, it wasn't very interesting, just something I had to do, but it's very short and I read it one day. Now, though, I'm really glad I've read it. It says a lot about "perfect socity" and makes you wonder if any of utopian ways of doing things would truley make people, society, better. It gives you something to discuss. Plus, I had seen Ever After before and after reading this book and it kinda gave me a new perspective on the movie afterwards. :)There's not much of a plot to this book, it's a little hard to sit through, but I think this is one of those books you need to read, even if only to say that you've read it!
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Summary: Disappointed with the Penguin edition
Review: I purchased the Penguin edition intially, so to have a compact copy of this essential work. However, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the edition. The translator, Turner, assumes very little of his reader and therefore "translates" some of More's most witty and erudite comments into bland, lifeless remarks. The most irriating example is that rather than keep the main character's name as Rafael Hythloday he has "translated" the name as "Rafael Nonsenso." Turner justifies this choice by saying that not many modern readers know classic Greek... true. But, it would have been better to footnote the original name and explain it's origin and meaning rather than translate the name into an obvious joke. By doing this Turner steals the very essence and beauty from the work. There are many other examples of Turner's tweaking that are maddening. However, I will say that the Introduction to the Penguin Utopia by Tucker is very nice. I especially enjoyed Tucker's discussion of "Utopian Literature." However, I recommend that you find the book in a library, photocopy the intro... and instead purchase the Hackett Publishing version (now available in paperback, I believe) which offers thorough and accessible footnotes to the text as well as a wonderful introduction.
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Summary: A great book even if you are a young teen.
Review: I read the book and I am 14. At first I thought it would go over my head, but I soon found out that I was wrong and that I understood it and it taught valuble lessons!
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Summary: to courtney cabrera
Review: I think you took this book literaly, and you're not supposed to. This novel is written as a satire, full of lies and half truths. Read the excelent introduction by Jenny Mezciems in the Everyman's Library text. You might feel differently after that.
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Summary: Simply Suberp!
Review: It has been over two years since I read this novel and I read it again and it's just better than ever. I truly do recommend this to anyone interested in a classic for the ages.
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Summary: An eye opening book
Review: It is hard to get through the first part of the book. That part is pretty dull but once you reach the second half of the book it becomes very interesting. I recommend that everyone read this book, it will make you look a little bit differently at the world we live in.
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Summary: A Different Take
Review: It's unfortunate that it seems as if most of these reviews were written by people whose only knowledge of More has come from the (mostly incorrect) opinions they have formed after reading this book. I don't think one can truly understand its import until he or she understands where Moore is at this point in his life and what he previously wrote ("Life of Pico", for example) and what he wrote later (while in prison, perhaps). No, he wasn't expressing his views through Raphael. In fact, it's clear that Raphael is an opinionated fibber (i.e., he discovered Utopia after Vespucci's fourth voyage? There were only three and Morus knows it...) and his account is purposefully filled with contradictions. There's more to it! More is raising issues, trying to make the careful reader think (and shame on some of the other reviewers for not being careful readers). And once you've read this book, read enough More (ha!) to understand what was going on in the bigger scheme of things, such as More's relationship with the other Renaissance humanists of his time and Henry VIII.
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