Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have
transformed the way we see ourselves—and each other. They have inspired
debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged,
provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives—and destroyed them.
Now, Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers,
radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped
make us who we are. Penguin's Great Ideas series features twelve
groundbreaking works by some of history's most prodigious thinkers, and
each volume is beautifully packaged with a unique type-drive design
that highlights the bookmaker's art. Offering great literature in great
packages at great prices, this series is ideal for those readers who
want to explore and savor the Great Ideas that have shaped the world.
Published anonymously in 1776, six months before the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
was a radical and impassioned call for America to free itself from
British rule and set up an independent republican government. Savagely
attacking hereditary kingship and aristocratic institutions, Paine
urged a new beginning for his adopted country in which personal freedom
and social equality would be upheld and economic and cultural progress
encouraged. His pamphlet was the first to speak directly to a mass
audience—it went through fifty-six editions within a year of
publication—and its assertive and often caustic style both embodied the
democratic spirit he advocated, and converted thousands of citizens to
the cause of American independence."--From the publisher
