Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings

Rating:
Summary: Sign of the times
Review: This is an excellent book for all. The satire in this novel still rings true. Its cross-section of what it means to be human is hard to swallow at times. Not because it seems unreal but because it is extremely clear. We journey to the worlds of the simple-minded and ignorant, to the more sentient, and to the compassionate and intelligent. Which of these worlds are present to Swift all but one. Where do we Stand today?

Rating:
Summary: the satiric comedy adds a different perspective of English g
Review: Gulliver simply tells us of a satiric view of sixteenth centyury England

Rating:
Summary: A Classic story describing ourselves
Review: I think that this book was wonderful. I understand the book tothe last words. I think that Swift was giving a hint to the world ofhow we, as humans, truly are. For example, Gulliver first was shipwrecked on an Island inhabited by short beings. He felt all magestic, like he was the leader. He felt as if he was better then all of them, number one, superior in all ways. But when he came to be at the next land, HE was the small one and he finnaly relized that he wasn't the best, the most superior. He was in the middle, like most people. Then, He came to be on a land of super advanced people and learned what humans were tyring to be, only to come to the next land and find the human races true side. I think that this was one of the best books in the world, and I think that it should be required that kids in allschools read it by at least the fifth grade. The book could give kids better moral values, and they would understand how things realy are. END

Rating:
Summary: Ok , but not as great as I thought it would be better
Review: I had to read Gullives Travels for a book report and I thought it was very boring

Rating:
Summary: I liked this book
Review: I liked Gullivers Travle's because he took a trip to the land of Talking Horses and Hunyums. The only thing I didn't like was when the Liluputiens tried to starve him.

Rating:
Summary: The finest satirical novel written.
Review: Swift's classic satire of English and European governments, societies, and cultures should be required reading of every college student. (Except for those who appear to be in law school as is the earlier reviewer who referred to Swift as being an "18th century Unabomber." Swift may have been conservative in his beliefs and not cared much for individuals such as Robert Boyle, who is satirized in the book, but he was not violent. Perhaps our "law student/reviewer" is offended by Swift's biting satire of lawyers and politicians in part four.) The version I read was an annotated edition by Isaac Asimov and contained many passages that had been deleted by previous publishers. Asimov's comments enable the reader to more fully appreciate Swift's satire. In part one of the novel, a ship's surgeon, Lemuel Gulliver, is shipwreaked and finds himself on the island of Lilliput, the inhabitants all being only six inches high. This section is great satire of English politics and wars. Royal ponp, feuds amongst the populace, and wars are made to look rediculous. In the second part, Gulliver finds himself in Brobdingnag in which he is only six "inches" tall (relatively speaking). This part forms another satire of European governments. In part three, Gulliver visits the flying island of Laputa where shades of ancient scholars can be called up. This section is a satire on philosophers and scientists. Scientists are portrayed as men so wrapped up intheir speculations as to be totally useless in practical affairs. Absurd experiments are described (for example, extracting sunlight from cucumbers (but, extracting energy from cucumbers and other plants is no longer so absurd Jonathan)). Also described in this third part are the Struldbergs, men and women who are immortal but who turn out to be miserable and pitiable. In part four, Gulliver travels to the Land of the Houyhnhnms, horses with intelligence but who have no passion or emotion. The word "Yahoo" originates in this part. READ IT!

Rating:
Summary: Nihilism ain't always comforting, kids.
Review: If one could accurately characterize Swift as similar to Hobbes, Rousseau, and Nietzsche, they would ultimately be incoherent; the three have about as much in common as, well, Lilliputians and Brobdingnabians. Jokes aside, however, I would not necessarily take such a comparison negatively. After all, human nature may be fairly base, as Hobbes would posit, and his discussion is sound if his premises hold- whether or not they do, however, is difficult to ascertain, and another issue. As far as Swift is concerned, the same holds for him: his arguments about human ability and understanding seem to me to be valid. If the goal of philosophy is truth, well, then that truth may not always be comforting... but it maintains its value. I am not saying that Swift is correct, so much as coherent... and that alone, is reason to consider his ideas. As far as eighteenth century history goes: I don't think it is necessary to understand the specifics of Swift's criticisms so much as understand the types of things he is criticizing. Someone, and I think aptly, once compared his references to Monica Lewinsky jokes. You can understand this book without fully comprehending the references, so DON'T let this put you off to a wonderfully pessimistic view of human nature.

Rating:
Summary: Gulliver's Travels was a fun book!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I like this book because Gulliver was a nice man and longs for adventure.He signed up on a ship and crashed on an island where the people were no bigger than his finger.Before he returned home he crashed on another island where he was no bigger then the people on the island!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Gulliver's Travel is the Best.
Review: This novel is one of the few that I have ever read, but it is so far the best I ever read. This is not just for young adults but also for kids. I liked Jonathan Swift use of his imagenation to come with all the great stuff that came up with for this novel. I also like his usage of satire to mock the politics, religion, and society of his time. I always like to read thing that is making fun or moking some thing, and novel does just that. The one thing that I did't like was that it was tough to read, I had to use Masterplots to help me understand it. But it is still a good novel to read, I think it is so good that someone should make it into a cartoon, and also make a sequeal.

Rating:
Summary: A "darn" good book
Review: Hi my name is robin and i'm doing a school work at gullivers travels if you find a good page mail it to me