Utopia

Author: Thomas More
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2003-07-01
Features: First published (in Latin) in 1516, Thomas More's Utopia is one of the most influential books in the Western philosophical and literary tradition and one of the supreme achievements of Renaissance humanism. More coined the word 'utopia' (from the Greek: 'no place'), and his complexly ironic account of an imaginary communist society not only has given rise to the genre of utopian fiction but has also been an inspiration to generations of political reformers. After nearly five centuries, Utopia continues to provoke intense interest and lively debate among students and scholars. For publication in the Cambridge Texts series, the editors have included all the ancillary materials that were included, at More's behest, in the early editions (encompassing letters and poems on Utopia by More and several of his humanist associates). The text of Utopia itself is a new version of the highly regarded translation by Robert M. Adams, and the introductory materials and annotations incorporate much important recent scholarship. This edition also includes a brief bibliography and chronology, intended to assist students encountering this celebrated text for the first time.